After a week on the left coast, I am left wondering how anyone can sight see San Fran without running or having the ability to walk uphill for miles on end?
There are also definitely a lot more runners out there and it seems as though they are more health-conscious out there; saw a free outdoor gym on the path to the Golden Gate Bridge.
While sprinting to our flight and missing it by a minute, all I could muster up to ask was "I wonder what our pace was?" My sister shot back with "of course you would ask that".
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Spring Semester over
As I return to Texas for my annual need of live music, friends, family, and food, I have tried to keep up with running as well. Per usual, I enjoy Plano's 1:1 ratio of miles on the trail to water fountains. With bathrooms to boot. Unfortunately, I am either finally noticing my back feels off or the pavement here is much different. And as always, the air just isn't as crisp here and the faucet water smells. Home sweet home.
Before coming down, I got to enjoy a nice hill workout with Pat and Lauren in Boston where I have now toyed with the idea of sending it up to Boston at the end of the year. Who knows?
Before coming down, I got to enjoy a nice hill workout with Pat and Lauren in Boston where I have now toyed with the idea of sending it up to Boston at the end of the year. Who knows?
Sunday, May 12, 2013
"off season"
Post half marathon, I have taken whether consciously or not, a week off from running 30 miles and working out to go out and socialize and rest (my inner leg muscles aka groin is still sore). It's that time of the year when it is the end of the "school" year aka my trip back to Texas. Miles run will come by sporadically at best but when I return, I'm gonna try to get faster for a 5k in the near future.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Navigant Running Festival Half Marathon
Pre-race:
I have worked it out that it is not the night before the race that is important but two nights before that is big. Sleep: 8 hours. This after going out during an uncharacteristic Tang week.
The day before the race was packet pick up at Rhode Runner (which I feel like they usually notify runners at least 48 hrs before--I think I got a days notice). When I say packet pick up, that is a loose term as this was a no frills packet, which I totally support. I decided to jog 2 miles over to pick it up and did not realize that the packet, excuse me 'packet', would be in a tiny black bag.
Aaron, why would you mention such a trivial thing like that? This detail should not be of any concern in say, most of America. However, I would be traversing back through Downtown Providence. With a black bag.
Anyways, I walked back, inhaled salmon, squash, rice, and a whole box of pasta. Yea, a whole box.
Sleep: 4 hrs despite being physically in bed at 9 pm, followed by a 4 am phone call from a Texas number; thanks a lot.
Commandments/ Running Sins committed:
Thou shall hydrate
Thou shall rest
Thou shall not use gear that you did not don whilst training
6:15 am:
PB and banana sandwiches, 3 trips to the John, and we were off.
The Race itself:
Parked at the Apex (still a mystery to me what that is) in Pawtucket. I had not even realized I was sans TP belt, but after walking to the restrooms with Jess, found out I also had on my Faux Ban wayfarer sunglasses that I use for driving and being a general poseur.
Good news is we used the restrooms in the ... civic center? so there was no need for a TP belt. Either way it was not a portapotty. And as for the sunglasses, that proved to be fortunate as it was pretty sunny today and they didn't slip down my nose too much.
Jess, Knapp, and I felt that this would not really be a PR day since our training had been hindered by Mother Nature during this seemingly perma-winter.
Knapp spotted the only pacer with a stick that had 1:45 written on it--perfect, the time I wanted to get. Knapp had the right idea, follow the pacer for the beginning since we have been known to go out quickly. Let's just follow it for 13.1 miles and see how we feel.
As this was our third go around on this rodeo, we knew we were lining up the wrong way at the starting line. There was a 40 second moment of silence which some of the more chatty runners didn't even realize. How you do not notice 1,000 people around you all going silent at once with a couple runners shushing you is beyond me.
This time around, I sported my iPod with my 1:45 playlist (technically 1:44:50, but who's counting?) with the addition of Coldplay's "Clocks" to calm myself for the beginning. The race started with no bobbing and weaving thanks to the perfect amount of runners after hitting start on our watches.
We ran around a loop before returning to the start for our first half mile with Knapp ahead of me. After the 5k in March, I decided that my game plan was to run even for the first 10 miles. For the first 3 miles or so, we stayed in the 1:45 pack, content on listening to the pacer speak about hitting 7:30s, 7:45s for the beginning, 8's throughout, then 8:15s at the end along with a marathon next week along with asking a volunteer who was pointing out the way if that indeed was the right way.
Our history with this course allowed me to feel comfortable while passing familiar businesses, parks, and houses. This however was home court advantage for Knapp as we closed in on his neighborhood.
I knew we had to negotiate our way through hills in the middle of this race so mentally I was waiting for a gargantuan climb. My memory did not serve me correctly since the hills on the road were not as bad as I thought. What must have truly helped was the fact today was between 46 and 52 degrees whereas last year seemed to be in the 70s. Oh yeah, and that dang black cotton shirt I wore that had to be tossed at Sri and Nikki at the half way point.
Knapp and I traded the lead throughout and as we came to the hills in his neck of the woods, I knew I had entered his home turf along with the fact we were on hills. Somewhere in here, there was a water station that flip flopped cups; they put water in the Gatorade cups and vice versa. Always have to pay attention or if you're like the runner behind me, yell at the volunteers.
We hit the all too familiar bike path still on pace and as I tried to pull ahead on every downhill, Knapp came roaring back. We hit the halfway point and I had decided that that was the time to reach in to my memory banks and pretend like this was the last 10k during the Philly Marathon.
This is where I believe we have evolved. This wasn't a "Without Limits" flashback, this was from my own experiences. I realize now why I don't get myself pumped up as much as I did in the beginning with Pre and Kara Goucher videos. Imitation was the only thing I had to draw from, like kids pretending to be MJ in the drive way.
As I started to encroach in the 7:30-7:45/mile pace, I began picking runners to run to, 'draft', and pass. I had no idea honestly if this was a good move but the idea for today was go for 1:45 or go broke.
I had picked up a Runner's World tip on water cups a couple weeks before that went without a hitch save for the one I fumbled at around mile 10. Basically, squeeze and hook your index finger in to make the cup more narrow and manageable.
It was around this time that I slowly chewed on some honey as well. That would later get my pocket sticky since I forgot a half-opened packet was still around.
I kept chugging along waiting for either myself to implode, Knapp to catch me and pass me a la the last race, or for me to drop a finishing kick during the last 5k. Instead, I hummed along and tried to take out both of our finishing kicks.
Crossing a bridge before hitting Mickey D's, I kept pushing to pass runners.
Somewhere in here I went back and forth with a couple runners on what I always equate to a real life Banshee Boardwalk from Mario Kart 64.
At mile 11, I calculated that I could run 10 minute miles and still be on goal. From mile 11 to 12, I hovered around a Camelbak runner then passed him before hitting the shaded area that I so desperately needed last year. Coming up to the last mile I broke the gloves out again and tried to hold on for dear life even if I was trying to trick my body in to thinking it was finishing kick time. I fell off pace back to 7:40 until the last 0.1 mile.
No lie, I had in my paranoid mind that Knapp was right behind me the whole time and waiting to kick at the end.
The Knapp clan saw me as I turned on the after burners to "Dude" a spent girl right at the end (the opposite of getting "chicked"). All I could think of was how pale my quads had become as the sprint shifted my shorts higher and I beat her by the slimmest of margins.
Unofficially 1:40:46 with only a slight gag reflex. Odd, since I hydrated poorly. I returned to cheer on Knapp as he was going to crush 1:45 as well. As the Knapps and I talked about the race, we thought we had missed Jess finish so we went on our way to the usual post-Pawtucket half dining experience, the Modern Diner.
Modern Diner with the Knapps was a nice way to celebrate after another 2 runners go sub 1:45, excuse me, destroy 1:45.
Maple Bacon Cornmeal Pancakes, seating arrangements and the lack of fruit in the meals was a nice way to prep for my Texas trip in two weeks.
Cinco de Mayo post race? Sounds tougher than the race itself.
Notes/ The Future:
Part of the packet included a wristband that had "Rhode Island runs for Boston". I thought that was a nice touch and wore it. At some point during the race, I looked down at it and consciously picked up the pace in support.
Tangents were run as best as I could. I had 13.12 miles on my watch.
As we can now cross off sub 1:45 its on to sub 20 5k then...retire?
Do I sport the wayfarers from now on during races?
Since my splits were pretty even, of course my dependable GPS watch freezes.
I have worked it out that it is not the night before the race that is important but two nights before that is big. Sleep: 8 hours. This after going out during an uncharacteristic Tang week.
The day before the race was packet pick up at Rhode Runner (which I feel like they usually notify runners at least 48 hrs before--I think I got a days notice). When I say packet pick up, that is a loose term as this was a no frills packet, which I totally support. I decided to jog 2 miles over to pick it up and did not realize that the packet, excuse me 'packet', would be in a tiny black bag.
Aaron, why would you mention such a trivial thing like that? This detail should not be of any concern in say, most of America. However, I would be traversing back through Downtown Providence. With a black bag.
Anyways, I walked back, inhaled salmon, squash, rice, and a whole box of pasta. Yea, a whole box.
Sleep: 4 hrs despite being physically in bed at 9 pm, followed by a 4 am phone call from a Texas number; thanks a lot.
Commandments/ Running Sins committed:
Thou shall hydrate
Thou shall rest
Thou shall not use gear that you did not don whilst training
6:15 am:
PB and banana sandwiches, 3 trips to the John, and we were off.
The Race itself:
Parked at the Apex (still a mystery to me what that is) in Pawtucket. I had not even realized I was sans TP belt, but after walking to the restrooms with Jess, found out I also had on my Faux Ban wayfarer sunglasses that I use for driving and being a general poseur.
Good news is we used the restrooms in the ... civic center? so there was no need for a TP belt. Either way it was not a portapotty. And as for the sunglasses, that proved to be fortunate as it was pretty sunny today and they didn't slip down my nose too much.
Jess, Knapp, and I felt that this would not really be a PR day since our training had been hindered by Mother Nature during this seemingly perma-winter.
Knapp spotted the only pacer with a stick that had 1:45 written on it--perfect, the time I wanted to get. Knapp had the right idea, follow the pacer for the beginning since we have been known to go out quickly. Let's just follow it for 13.1 miles and see how we feel.
As this was our third go around on this rodeo, we knew we were lining up the wrong way at the starting line. There was a 40 second moment of silence which some of the more chatty runners didn't even realize. How you do not notice 1,000 people around you all going silent at once with a couple runners shushing you is beyond me.
This time around, I sported my iPod with my 1:45 playlist (technically 1:44:50, but who's counting?) with the addition of Coldplay's "Clocks" to calm myself for the beginning. The race started with no bobbing and weaving thanks to the perfect amount of runners after hitting start on our watches.
We ran around a loop before returning to the start for our first half mile with Knapp ahead of me. After the 5k in March, I decided that my game plan was to run even for the first 10 miles. For the first 3 miles or so, we stayed in the 1:45 pack, content on listening to the pacer speak about hitting 7:30s, 7:45s for the beginning, 8's throughout, then 8:15s at the end along with a marathon next week along with asking a volunteer who was pointing out the way if that indeed was the right way.
Our history with this course allowed me to feel comfortable while passing familiar businesses, parks, and houses. This however was home court advantage for Knapp as we closed in on his neighborhood.
I knew we had to negotiate our way through hills in the middle of this race so mentally I was waiting for a gargantuan climb. My memory did not serve me correctly since the hills on the road were not as bad as I thought. What must have truly helped was the fact today was between 46 and 52 degrees whereas last year seemed to be in the 70s. Oh yeah, and that dang black cotton shirt I wore that had to be tossed at Sri and Nikki at the half way point.
Knapp and I traded the lead throughout and as we came to the hills in his neck of the woods, I knew I had entered his home turf along with the fact we were on hills. Somewhere in here, there was a water station that flip flopped cups; they put water in the Gatorade cups and vice versa. Always have to pay attention or if you're like the runner behind me, yell at the volunteers.
We hit the all too familiar bike path still on pace and as I tried to pull ahead on every downhill, Knapp came roaring back. We hit the halfway point and I had decided that that was the time to reach in to my memory banks and pretend like this was the last 10k during the Philly Marathon.
This is where I believe we have evolved. This wasn't a "Without Limits" flashback, this was from my own experiences. I realize now why I don't get myself pumped up as much as I did in the beginning with Pre and Kara Goucher videos. Imitation was the only thing I had to draw from, like kids pretending to be MJ in the drive way.
As I started to encroach in the 7:30-7:45/mile pace, I began picking runners to run to, 'draft', and pass. I had no idea honestly if this was a good move but the idea for today was go for 1:45 or go broke.
I had picked up a Runner's World tip on water cups a couple weeks before that went without a hitch save for the one I fumbled at around mile 10. Basically, squeeze and hook your index finger in to make the cup more narrow and manageable.
It was around this time that I slowly chewed on some honey as well. That would later get my pocket sticky since I forgot a half-opened packet was still around.
I kept chugging along waiting for either myself to implode, Knapp to catch me and pass me a la the last race, or for me to drop a finishing kick during the last 5k. Instead, I hummed along and tried to take out both of our finishing kicks.
Crossing a bridge before hitting Mickey D's, I kept pushing to pass runners.
Somewhere in here I went back and forth with a couple runners on what I always equate to a real life Banshee Boardwalk from Mario Kart 64.
At mile 11, I calculated that I could run 10 minute miles and still be on goal. From mile 11 to 12, I hovered around a Camelbak runner then passed him before hitting the shaded area that I so desperately needed last year. Coming up to the last mile I broke the gloves out again and tried to hold on for dear life even if I was trying to trick my body in to thinking it was finishing kick time. I fell off pace back to 7:40 until the last 0.1 mile.
No lie, I had in my paranoid mind that Knapp was right behind me the whole time and waiting to kick at the end.
The Knapp clan saw me as I turned on the after burners to "Dude" a spent girl right at the end (the opposite of getting "chicked"). All I could think of was how pale my quads had become as the sprint shifted my shorts higher and I beat her by the slimmest of margins.
Unofficially 1:40:46 with only a slight gag reflex. Odd, since I hydrated poorly. I returned to cheer on Knapp as he was going to crush 1:45 as well. As the Knapps and I talked about the race, we thought we had missed Jess finish so we went on our way to the usual post-Pawtucket half dining experience, the Modern Diner.
Modern Diner with the Knapps was a nice way to celebrate after another 2 runners go sub 1:45, excuse me, destroy 1:45.
Maple Bacon Cornmeal Pancakes, seating arrangements and the lack of fruit in the meals was a nice way to prep for my Texas trip in two weeks.
Cinco de Mayo post race? Sounds tougher than the race itself.
Notes/ The Future:
Part of the packet included a wristband that had "Rhode Island runs for Boston". I thought that was a nice touch and wore it. At some point during the race, I looked down at it and consciously picked up the pace in support.
Tangents were run as best as I could. I had 13.12 miles on my watch.
As we can now cross off sub 1:45 its on to sub 20 5k then...retire?
Do I sport the wayfarers from now on during races?
Since my splits were pretty even, of course my dependable GPS watch freezes.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
2 weeks to go
That's right ladies and gentlemen, a fortnight until the 3rd annual half marathon in Pawtucket. As with every future race, this'll be the most mileage and experience we'll have going in to it. How many times have I run 13.1 this year?
Once.
Hopefully making that twice after tomorrow.
What I have found odd during this build up is the fact that my running log this year has assumed the weekend warrior pose; it is basically a Friday through Sunday miles heavy week with very few runs sprinkled during the work week.
Once.
Hopefully making that twice after tomorrow.
What I have found odd during this build up is the fact that my running log this year has assumed the weekend warrior pose; it is basically a Friday through Sunday miles heavy week with very few runs sprinkled during the work week.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Progress Report
As the first quarter of this year is already over (what?), I have upped mileage to 30 miles/week consistently and it feels a bit like a bunch of junk miles. No real training plan, just running mostly on the treadmill and sometimes outside thanks to the extended winter.
After reading the latest Runner's World featuring Kara Goucher on the front, I feel a little better going in to the Pawtucket Half Marathon. Why's that?
Well, after reading about the mental side of training, I now realize that my running log's 'quality' section is not to gauge how terrible it went but to frame how well it went. One of the trainers even has runners look at their log and label each workout as either a loss or a win to help build confidence in the fact that most runs are tiny wins that add up to hopefully a great race and one bad workout doesn't destroy confidence.
Also, I may have hit a rut since most of my runs have been on the same route, at basically the same pace, for about the same distance. While quite obvious, I should be varying my workouts with hills, a faster run, a long run, etc.
So after the half, gonna attack my 5k time before another half in the fall.
After reading the latest Runner's World featuring Kara Goucher on the front, I feel a little better going in to the Pawtucket Half Marathon. Why's that?
Well, after reading about the mental side of training, I now realize that my running log's 'quality' section is not to gauge how terrible it went but to frame how well it went. One of the trainers even has runners look at their log and label each workout as either a loss or a win to help build confidence in the fact that most runs are tiny wins that add up to hopefully a great race and one bad workout doesn't destroy confidence.
Also, I may have hit a rut since most of my runs have been on the same route, at basically the same pace, for about the same distance. While quite obvious, I should be varying my workouts with hills, a faster run, a long run, etc.
So after the half, gonna attack my 5k time before another half in the fall.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Sleep, Jumper cables, Puke Solo Cups
After having a lovely night at McCormick and Schmicks, I had my car valeted for the 2nd time to my knowledge and the headlights were switched from automatically turning itself off to on all the time. Note to self and all: always check that post-valet. To my surprise the next morning, my car wouldn't start.
Panic?
No, take a 2 hr nap and be okay with walking to work. Upon telling this story to friends, only would a runner be okay with not having a car.
Found out 1st hand sleep 2 nights before is more important than the night before thanks to a rotating schedule of fun going from 2nd shift to 1st to 2nd then to 1st.
And as for today's run? Dodging all that St. Patrick's Day has to offer: vomit and solo cups.
Panic?
No, take a 2 hr nap and be okay with walking to work. Upon telling this story to friends, only would a runner be okay with not having a car.
Found out 1st hand sleep 2 nights before is more important than the night before thanks to a rotating schedule of fun going from 2nd shift to 1st to 2nd then to 1st.
And as for today's run? Dodging all that St. Patrick's Day has to offer: vomit and solo cups.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The Lottery and goals for the year
So the results of the Chicago Marathon travesty continue to not surprise me; for the 15k spots left, 36k entered. Knapp got in and I (rightfully so) found an e-mail in my spam folder that sounded like a college rejection letter. "Thanks for applying but unfortunately blah blah blah".
The bad news: we won't be running the Chicago Marathon.
The good news: we won't be running the Chicago Marathon.
So if we go back to the original plan of no marathons this year, I can run the New Hampshire half in the fall with an ex-resident. What goal do I have in mind for this race? After this morning's run with Providence running buddy Angela, apparently I will have to run sub 1:40 since she has run a 1:46 for the Newport one.
The bad news: we won't be running the Chicago Marathon.
The good news: we won't be running the Chicago Marathon.
So if we go back to the original plan of no marathons this year, I can run the New Hampshire half in the fall with an ex-resident. What goal do I have in mind for this race? After this morning's run with Providence running buddy Angela, apparently I will have to run sub 1:40 since she has run a 1:46 for the Newport one.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
St Pat's 5k Race Report
"Photoshopped"; I am actually not in this pic as I am in real life 10 seconds behind.
The first race of 2013, St. Pats 5k in Providence, 11:15 am 3/9/13
Going in to the first race of 2013, I would be lying through my teeth if I said that I wasn't scared of Knapp heading in to this race. Case in point, I may have gotten too cute with the racing strategy that was hatched by Coach Bober which entailed following for mile 1 then taking off (if the pace was honest). Would this strategy work? What strategy would Knapp bring to the table?
Excuses upfront: The nights leading up to this race was erratic at best what with third shift the week before and lack of sleep nights before.
Knapp, Sri, and I headed for Providence Place Mall the morning of, got our bibs and hung around the cold and windy weather, wearing appropriate Guinness sweatpants. For some reason, when Knapp and I were getting our tech tees, a volunteer took one look at us and kept emphasizing the large and extra large shirts.
Knapp and I warmed up for around half a mile 20 minutes before the race, de-sweatclothes'ed ourselves and snuck in to the top 50 runners of the loosely-termed 'corral'. It was apparent we snuck through walkers galore that were upfront.
British MC in the house along with the Mayor and the man that I tortured to get us a team of the first Pawtucket Half led to the 1 pre-recorded 'Star Spangled Banner' CD that Rhode Island owns.
As the MC counted down from 10, my GPS watch stopped as I had to start it up right before crossing the line. I followed Knapp throughout the first mile as we were running at a blistering 6:30 pace through streets that had parade-goers unsure of what madness they were watching. 6:30 is a place we had no right to inhabit which was reflected in the rest of the race. Here is where the caveat was lost on me when push came to shove: "If the pace was honest". Lesson learned.
I tried to make what I could muster up as a 'move' and couldn't have been ahead by more than 10 seconds from mile 1 to 2 where I dragged through at roughly 7:00 pace. I kept looking behind me thinking Knapp would come from behind.
Most of the race was out and back except for a turn in to a hilly neighborhood that threw me off since it was the opposite direction of the map I thought I had found of the course. Around mile 2-2.5, Knapp popped up and gave me a fist bump. I just became a rabbit and now, my lunch was about to get eaten.
Contact was growing further and further and as I saw that there was a 400 left, I had left my kick back at mile 1. Knapp finished roughly 10 seconds ahead and I knew that we were not sub 21. The emcee was making fun of everyone's music selection as they sprinted in (something about Elvis Presley was being uttered as I tried to hold back throwing up); thankfully I avoided this by going sans music. Do I want music in the future?
Hats off to Knapp for winning our first actual race and I can't wait to lace em up again for round 2.
Special shout out to Sri for being our soccer mom, carrying our suspicious looking black plastic bags with future race adverts and our tech tee, and for the original pictures for the mash up above.
Lungs are screaming and the take home message is to run your race evenly.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
checking in
As I finally received my 1st issue of Runner's World via snail mail, one thing came to mind: the cover's different. Oh, and it definitely feels like it's "greener" aka cheaper paper.
It should come as no surprise (since my running log is public) that I have been ramping up mileage. During this phase or whenever I get my base up, it reminds me of Cool Runnings (specifically their bobsled) which had its limits tested and then the shoddy sled fell apart. I'm at the part where they zoom in on the nuts and bolts shaking loose (not a euphemism).
Chicago Marathon: to update everyone else, Knapp and I tried signing up as soon as the noon central standard start time approached and went with what has been the worst experience for signing up yet. The site crashed for hours then shut down indefinitely. Somehow, 30k runners snuck in meaning 15k spots left. Active.com, you are the Ticketmaster of runners. Keep in mind, I have taken my head out of my butt and had to share this:
It should come as no surprise (since my running log is public) that I have been ramping up mileage. During this phase or whenever I get my base up, it reminds me of Cool Runnings (specifically their bobsled) which had its limits tested and then the shoddy sled fell apart. I'm at the part where they zoom in on the nuts and bolts shaking loose (not a euphemism).
Chicago Marathon: to update everyone else, Knapp and I tried signing up as soon as the noon central standard start time approached and went with what has been the worst experience for signing up yet. The site crashed for hours then shut down indefinitely. Somehow, 30k runners snuck in meaning 15k spots left. Active.com, you are the Ticketmaster of runners. Keep in mind, I have taken my head out of my butt and had to share this:
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