Race Day

It's been a while since I tried my luck in a race.  4 years to be exact.  Over those years I had all but stopped running.  I didn't have the time or the will to get out there and train when there was so much else to get done.  This year I decided that in order to make sure that I would stick with it until going for my run became routine I would sign up for a couple of local races.

Yesterday was the first.  A 5K that I had run in my previous running life.  The course is pretty flat except for one major downhill at the 1K mark and then an uphill at the 3.5K that last for about 3/4 of a kilometer.  It could be a fast course for someone who is ready for it.

I was hoping that I would be ready for it.  I had been training to set a new PR for me.  I have never been super fast but considering the amount of effort I had put into my training I was confident I could get myself under the 30 minute mark for the first time.  I had it all worked out in my head. I was going to go out stronger than I would normally push hard through the first flat, the downhill and the second flat section to the bottom of the hill and then just hold an relatively easy pace up the hill and hopefully throw the legs on auto pilot and finish the last kilometer strong.

They called for the 5K participants to make their way to the line.  Knowing that I am not one of the top runners in the field I position myself at about what I thought was the first third and over to the side so that there is room for people to get around me if they need (I don't want to ruin someone else's start if I can avoid it) or I can make my way to the grass and around someone if I need.

Gun goes off, the cheering starts and off we go.  I wait for the herd to move forward and fall in behind.  So far so good I feel good I think I'm on pace and excuse me, pardon me, on your left, on your left,  ON YOUR LEFT!  Walkers.  What is a group of walkers doing up here?  Yes this is a Fundraising run but they offer prize money to course records they must expect some competitive runners. 

Alright back on track approaching 500 meters and the first "sprinters" are now walking already.  God I hate the start.  I can see the 1K marker and as I pass it we start the downhill section.  My GPS chirps in 5:01 mins!  Wait hold on a 5 min kilometer maybe I should hold back a bit?  No just keep trucking.  Stick to the plan. 

I end up falling behind a couple that look like they have been through this more than once and are running at just about the perfect pace.  I follow the ladies neon pink sweater for the next 2.5 kilometers the whole time my gps rambling off 5:15 pace numbers at me. 

I passed the water station wide to avoid any unintentional body blocks and start up the hill.  Sticking to my plan I slow my pace pace but keep my cadence up. I notice a few people passing me but I don't worry the only thing I am really racing is the clock.  As I hit the top of the main hill all those people that just passed me are now walking.  I decide to go for it and push my pace as hard as I can for the last kilometer. 

I had nothing left for a kick at the end but push hard to the end.  I had hoped to just beat 30 minutes.  I was thinking it would finish in around 28:30 or so if I had a REALLY good day.  As I crossed the line I noticed the clock showing 27:22!  Figuring that couldn't be right. I double check my GPS and sure enough 27:11 is showing.  My official finish time is 27:00 even with the walkers.

I now feel completely energized and confident that the training plan that I have chosen will continue to help me improve and I should be able to set another PR in the 10K this September.

Young legs

I've been working really hard lately getting ready for my first race in 4 years.  Just a local 5K but it's a goal race where I'd like to set a new PR and then focus on increasing my distance to be ready for a 10K late in the season.  My easy pace is creeping up and my stamina is the best it has been ever.

So when my 11 year old daughter asked if she could tag along for my weekly long run Saturday I was a little hesitant to say yes.  April is exceedingly athletic.  We haven't found a sport that she doesn't excel at and we've tried.  But she is 11 and surely a grown man can out last an 11 year old little girl.  But after a fair bit of trying to talk her out of it April and I tied up our shoes and headed out the door.

As any kid would do April took off like she was fired from a gun.  Over a short distance there is no way that I would ever be able to keep pace with her.  I called out and reminded her that we had planned on 10K and that we should run at a pace that we could hold for the entire trip.  So she slowed down for dear old day (rolling her eyes the whole time). 

I figured the best way to not push the pace to hard on her would be to strike up a conversation so I could keep track of her breathing.  So I crack the cheesiest joke I could think up.  She giggled at me (not with me) and started telling about school and friends.  Never losing breath for one sentence. The whole time with me reminding her that I'm old and fat so we need to slow down.

The two of us finished up 9K in just over 56 mins.  A decent clip for me.  We high 5 (yup I'm a nerd) and I head in the house to get a drink.  My wife asked me almost immediately how it all went.  I responded with a "it was great but April is going to be tired." 

Wrong she's out front playing road hockey with the boys kicking butt and taking names. 

Oh to have young fresh legs!!

Uggh! GPs and getting lost

I can admit it I'm a bit of a techie. So when it comes to my running I've been using a GPS app for my blackberry and using the information to analyze my progress.  Now this has led to a couple of observations about myself.

First, I need to pay a little more attention to where I'm going.  I start out with a planned route and distance.  As I'm out there running listening to the music and thinking about the info that the running app is telling me I loose track of where I am.  I end up turning a block early or late (usually early) and not making the distance that I have planned.  Of course I end up cursing myself every time.

Secondly, I have no patience.  After each workout I hit the upload button and the little wheel spins for what feels like forever.  After 30 seconds or so I get mad because I don't think it's doing anything and restart my phone.  I try to synchronize the data once it restarts and the little wheel appears again.  I get mad and start pressing buttons.  Now I have discovered that if I had just let the little wheel spin until it was finished things would have a) taken a lot less time  and b) the data would not be there 3 times.

Learning to run

I thought that running was going to be nothing more than putting one foot in front of the other and repeating.  If I kept running I would be faster each time and I could go continuously farther.

Nope.  There seems to be a lot more to it. When you run, how far and how fast you go are all things that you have to make a conscious decision about.  Even what shoes and shorts to wear when out there make a difference.

Now I know that most of us are never going to run 26.2 in less than 3 hours.  But we can all fulfill our potential.  To do that we need to make intelligent decisions about our training.  Do we run every night or every couple of nights? Do we have 2 or 3 easy days per cycle? How long is our cycle?  These are all things that we need to sit down and decide. 

There is a lot of good information out there.  There is a lot of questionable information out there as well.  I listened to the podcasts over at mojoforunning.com and found them very helpful. They explain things in a simple enough way that I could understand the theory behind it and was able to apply it to my schedule.

Also don't be scared to post questions on your favourite running forum.  Most of them have a beginners area that more experienced people frequent to help us newbies.  Just think about the advice before taking it all to heart.  Will it fit in with your abilities and training?  Can you safely make the changes?  Maybe getting to the level where you can make the changes can be your goal.

Run smarter friends run smarter!

Poor thing

As my love to run has been increasing so has my families interest in it.  I wouldn't say they are all going to be life long runners but they are at least giving it a try.

All the kids have decided that they are going to try to run a local 5K at the end of the month and have been doing their best to do some training.  Tonight my youngest daughter had already done a 6K run at school for the running club she joined but my oldest was really keen on getting out with me.  I actually enjoy having them with me.  It helps me to remember to run easy and it gives me a little one on one time with them.  I'm not that cool that they will want to hang around with me for too much longer.

Everything was moving along fine until about kilometer 3.  Vix just didn't look good and she started to complain of an upset stomach.  We slowed to a walk and then had to stop all together.  I ended up calling my wife to pick her up.  I didn't want to force her to finish even though it was only 1.5K away.  She really felt bad that she couldn't finish when her little sister who is more naturally athletic had no issues just a couple of nights before.  All we could do is remind her that she had lots of time to practice before the race and that we all suffer some nights.

I ended up finishing with my son on his bike.  I still feel much better now that I am holding a much more even pace.  My overall time is not necessarily any better but I can keep moving much longer.  My knees are a little tender to start with and my one ankle is still weak but keeping things easy is keeping me running.  With time I'm sure everything will strengthen up.

Go easy man!

I had been doing a fair amount of running lately and each time I went out I blew my brains out.  Pushing to finish faster than the time before.  Now that may sound alright but my body sure didn't think it was such a great idea.  After doing a little searching and speaking to some more experienced runners I discovered that I needed to add true easy runs to my schedule.

So now I have made a plan. A good plan with rest days and easy days and long days.  But the most important are the easy days.  I need to give my body time to heal between runs.  I had noticed that I had been more and more fatigued at the start of every run no matter how much time I had taken to rest.  So tonight I tried an easy run.  I added a full minute per km to my race pace.  Now I didn't magically come up with this pace.  I didn't even have a pace in mind except comfortably slow.  We just ran.  Not raced but ran.  Sped up a little when things were easy and then slowed down with the hills.  Time was not a consideration.  When we got back we looked at what we had done and it was a minute slower.  Now it wasn't even a minute slower it was on pace with what I had been running but because I controlled my pace evenly my start was much slower but my end was much faster and I was able to keep moving throughout the whole session.  It was a minute slower than my goal race pace.


But was all the research worth it?  I think so. I actually felt better at the end of the run than I did before I started.  My legs were less sore and my joints seemed much happier.  Tomorrow I will be adding distance to my run to create the hard run for my hard/easy cycle.  Then the next will be the same easy run hopefully with Jill and the kids again.  They seemed to be more than happy with the slower pace and as long as I kept pace with them I was on track.

A bit of Tech

Since I didn't have a second to get out the door this weekend I thought I would devote a post to my inner geek.  I am always looking for gadgets relating to my life whether it is running or coaching or anything else I may be messing around with at the time. 

First lets talk websites.  There are hundreds of them out there that deal with running related topics.  I spend more time than the boss knows (or I'd be out of work) browsing the web looking for quality sites with something to contribute to my running.  It can be anything from training advice to strictly entertainment value but it needs to keep me motivated to move and it needs to be running related.

When I was living the life of a dedicated runner years ago I stumbled across www.runningahead.com.
It looks simple and that's because it is.  It allows you to track your sessions using google maps or to up load your forerunner information.  All your information is right at your finger tips.  It also has an active forum with many experienced runners that are more than willing to offer good advice.

Another good site is www.competitor.com They have some great information about all endurance sports.  What keeps bringing me back is their podcast.  www.competitorradio.com is the direct link.  Interviews with the who's who of endurance.  I find the interviews are terrific and really motivational.

www.enduranceplanet.com is another site that I have been visiting for some time now.  It's information is more suited to the experienced and elite athlete but I have found that their pod casts often contain information that I can use in my training.

The final site that I am going to mention is www.mojoforuning.com.  I only started looking through the site recently but I would recommend to the novice runner to listen to the coach's pod casts about the fundamentals of run training.  It shed a lot of light on the principles that you see discussed around the net.  She is a little dry but the casts are short and clear.