I didn't run today. I was up late last night and just decided to bag the run and sleep in instead. I knew I'd be miserable if I tried to get up and run, so I slept. Why is it that on the nights my wife and I are exhausted we end up staying up late?
The last two days I did 8 and 10 miles. I could still feel some soreness in my legs, but nothing that would hold me back like I felt on Monday. I tried each day to maintain a steady pace, but feel like I was more successful Wednesday.
The snow's coming down now, so I don't know what my run will be like tomorrow morning. Hopefully the snow won't be too deep and it won't be too icy. My biggest concern is that I'll be running in the dark, the I can stay in a fairly well-lit area and be OK.
February 24, 2005
February 21, 2005
Sore
My legs feel quite sore after yesterday's race. They didn't feel too bad when I went to bed last night, but they were certainly sore this morning. I had planned on running 8-10 miles today, but only did 6. I figured that was enough to loosen up my legs. I made sure I stretched out after my run, unlike after the race. I did stretch following the race, but only a little bit and not after I cooled down but a few hours later. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.
Luckily, the weather wasn't bad at all this morning. It was supposed to start snowing last night, and then change to rain by morning. But when I woke up, there was no snow and it looked like it had just rained lightly. It wasn't raining when I ran, and the sun was actually poking through the clouds.
Luckily, the weather wasn't bad at all this morning. It was supposed to start snowing last night, and then change to rain by morning. But when I woke up, there was no snow and it looked like it had just rained lightly. It wasn't raining when I ran, and the sun was actually poking through the clouds.
February 20, 2005
RRCA 10 Mile Challenge
This morning I ran the RRCA 10 Mile Challenge, a race put on by the Howard Country Striders. The race serves as a team championship of sorts for the local running clubs, as team compete for what was described as "the world's ugliest traveling trophy" (or something like that). To be honest, my biggest incentive for running the race was that my club paid my entry fee since I competed for the team.
My goal for the race was to start out conservatively, 6:15-6:20 pace, and finish strong. I started out at what felt right, but was actually faster than I thought. The third mile marker was the first one I saw, (Note to race directors: please make your mile markers visible. The mile markers today were small yellow signs about six inches high.) and I passed it in 18:02. I was surprised to be running that fast at what felt like a slower pace. My next three miles were 6:22, 5:56 and 6:22. I'm not sure what my split was at seven or nine miles, but I reached mile eight in 49:25 and finished in 1:02:00. I felt like I picked up the pace for the last two miles, but my time doesn't really reflect it. Maybe it just felt faster because I was tired.
The net result of my race was a 45th place finish and a 10-mile PR by 36 seconds. The PR was a bit of a shock. The course, at least for the middle miles, was fairly rolling, and I haven't done any speedwork except for the one other race I had run this year before today. Today's race bodes well for Cherry Blossom, which is a much faster course.
My goal for the race was to start out conservatively, 6:15-6:20 pace, and finish strong. I started out at what felt right, but was actually faster than I thought. The third mile marker was the first one I saw, (Note to race directors: please make your mile markers visible. The mile markers today were small yellow signs about six inches high.) and I passed it in 18:02. I was surprised to be running that fast at what felt like a slower pace. My next three miles were 6:22, 5:56 and 6:22. I'm not sure what my split was at seven or nine miles, but I reached mile eight in 49:25 and finished in 1:02:00. I felt like I picked up the pace for the last two miles, but my time doesn't really reflect it. Maybe it just felt faster because I was tired.
The net result of my race was a 45th place finish and a 10-mile PR by 36 seconds. The PR was a bit of a shock. The course, at least for the middle miles, was fairly rolling, and I haven't done any speedwork except for the one other race I had run this year before today. Today's race bodes well for Cherry Blossom, which is a much faster course.
February 16, 2005
Running in the AM
I've switched from running after work to running before work, again. This time, though, it should be for good. Running before work just makes more sense. I only have to shower once, and I don't have worry about not leaving work on time. And most of all, it's less stressful on the rest of my family.
February 07, 2005
Not a Bad Race
This past Sunday I ran the Country Road Run 5 mile race. I wish I could have finished a little higher than I did (14th), but at least my place was due to others running faster, not me running slower.
I went out a little faster than my last race and ran the first mile in 5:56. I was surprised to see so many people ahead of me and thought I had run slower. The second mile featured the biggest hill on the course and I hit the two-mile mark in 12:27. I reached the turn around at 15:43 and began to head back toward the finish. I passed three miles in 18:44 and can't remember my 4-mile split. During my last mile I was furiously trying to stay ahead of the people I could hear behind me. I turned on to the finish straightaway and managed to pass two people in the last 50 meters or so to finish in 30:44.
Overall I'm pleased with my performance. It feels good to have run a fairly large negative split. I haven't done any speedwork yet other than this race but did manage a decent pace.
I went out a little faster than my last race and ran the first mile in 5:56. I was surprised to see so many people ahead of me and thought I had run slower. The second mile featured the biggest hill on the course and I hit the two-mile mark in 12:27. I reached the turn around at 15:43 and began to head back toward the finish. I passed three miles in 18:44 and can't remember my 4-mile split. During my last mile I was furiously trying to stay ahead of the people I could hear behind me. I turned on to the finish straightaway and managed to pass two people in the last 50 meters or so to finish in 30:44.
Overall I'm pleased with my performance. It feels good to have run a fairly large negative split. I haven't done any speedwork yet other than this race but did manage a decent pace.
February 04, 2005
Sporadic
That's what my running has been for the last two weeks or so: sporadic. For one reason or another, I haven't been able to get myself out the door on a consistent basis. Case in point: this week, I ran only four of seven days. I did spend most of Tuesday night at the emergency room with J. She got a bad case of the flu and couldn't keep anything down. She got some fluids via IV and is feeling much better.
I did have things to do two of the three days I didn't run, but I still could have fit in a run. I'm not sure what leads to my lack of motivation sometimes. I have begun to run before I go home i.e. I change before work and run from the commuter lot. That seems to help; it's harder for me to skip a run when I'm already dressed for it.
I did have things to do two of the three days I didn't run, but I still could have fit in a run. I'm not sure what leads to my lack of motivation sometimes. I have begun to run before I go home i.e. I change before work and run from the commuter lot. That seems to help; it's harder for me to skip a run when I'm already dressed for it.
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