Well, the plan today was an easy 40 minute run, but it didn't turn out that way. I waited until the evening to give my legs the most time to rest up since Saturday morning, but they just weren't ready yet.
I had gone about a mile when the outside of my shins started to really burn. Not just the normal wake-up-my-legs strain, but something more. I stopped running, stretched out my shins as best I could (they were really stiff) and walked back home, slowly. Even walking was aggravating my shins.
So I guess I just wasn't ready to get back running after the longer distance from Saturday morning. I'm going to lay off until Wednesday evening's group run.
Boo!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Soldier Field 10-mile
Statistics:
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:49:37
Race Recap:
I managed to get myself to bed early on Friday night despite being at a Beatles Rock Band party that was lots of fun. Good thing, though, because I had to wake up at 5:00 AM, which isn't easy. I ate a small breakfast, grabbed my stuff, and headed out to pick up my friend, Mel, who was also running. It was nice that there was a lot of parking at the stadium, because driving to the race was much easier than taking the CTA and walking a mile from the Roosevelt station.
Got to the stadium at about 6:15 (race started at 7:30) so I had some time to look around. This was actually my first time to Soldier Field. Seemed appropriate I was visiting there on Memorial Day weekend.
I went inside the stadium and got this shot:
As you can see, they hadn't even hoisted the finish line apparatus yet. Thankfully, they seem to have finished it before the racers got there.
Finally it was time to line up in the start corrals. First of all, the weather was absolutely beautiful! Clear skies, temperature in the mid-60's, light breeze. So here I am waiting during the pre-race program. There was a nice bit honoring our soldiers on Memorial Day weekend, and a really beautiful playing of Taps by two bugles, that felt particularly poignant this morning.
Then I hit mile 9 and I could easily see Soldier Field in front of me, which felt really great. I think I might have quickened my pace just a little bit. I didn't want to sprint it out and screw anything up, so I just kept cruising, but it definitely felt good to know I was almost done.
As we worked our way down the road alongside the stadium, two things happened. One, I saw some finishers walking around, and they had medals around their necks. I didn't know we were getting medals! I was excited about that. And then I heard the following announcement on the loudspeakers: Attention racers, the course is now closed. The course warning system is now at Condition: Black. Please stop running, and walk through the finish.
BULL...SHIT! If they were going to stop me from running through to the finish, they were gonna have to tackle me. Nobody that I saw stopped running, not while we were right alongside the stadium. I thought it was a pretty bad over-reaction. If running at 75 degrees with moderate humidity and a nice breeze are race-closing conditions, nobody in New Orleans would ever get to run! I'm curious to know if there was something more to it, but if it was just concerns about heat, then it was really a bad overreaction.
That silliness aside, I soon turned left and entered the belly of the stadium. Then, one more left turn and I could see the field from the tunnel. Then before I knew it, I was on the grass of Soldier Field, and the stadium loudspeakers were playing "Sweet Home Chicago", which was an awesome song to hear, coming home to the finish.
And then I was done! According to the chip timer, I finished in 1:49:38, which is just a hair under 11 minutes per mile. That's just about what I figured. I think without the delays of the crowd and the water stations, I could have done a 10:30 pace without a problem. But all in all, I was satisfied with my time and the way I felt at the end of the race.
Walking through the finish area, I picked up one of these beauties:
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:49:37
Race Recap:
I managed to get myself to bed early on Friday night despite being at a Beatles Rock Band party that was lots of fun. Good thing, though, because I had to wake up at 5:00 AM, which isn't easy. I ate a small breakfast, grabbed my stuff, and headed out to pick up my friend, Mel, who was also running. It was nice that there was a lot of parking at the stadium, because driving to the race was much easier than taking the CTA and walking a mile from the Roosevelt station.
Got to the stadium at about 6:15 (race started at 7:30) so I had some time to look around. This was actually my first time to Soldier Field. Seemed appropriate I was visiting there on Memorial Day weekend.
I went inside the stadium and got this shot:
As you can see, they hadn't even hoisted the finish line apparatus yet. Thankfully, they seem to have finished it before the racers got there.
Finally it was time to line up in the start corrals. First of all, the weather was absolutely beautiful! Clear skies, temperature in the mid-60's, light breeze. So here I am waiting during the pre-race program. There was a nice bit honoring our soldiers on Memorial Day weekend, and a really beautiful playing of Taps by two bugles, that felt particularly poignant this morning.
Eventually, it was race time, and the first two start corrals were sent off. We in the open corral started out shamble to the start line. Eventually I reach the start line and the race is off!
There was no timer visible at the start line, so when I got to mile 1, the clock read 28:30 but I had no idea what my first mile split was. Thankfully, I'd started my gps tracker right at the start, and it said I'd been running for 11:30. That was slower than I wanted to be running (I estimated somewhere between 10:30 and 11-minute miles) but at the start, it's so crowded that I basically had to go at whatever pace the crowd would let me.
Then I hit the first water/Gatorade station, and that was kind of annoying as well. There were not enough tables, or the volunteers weren't fast enough at refilling cups, so I had to wait about half a minute to get a cup of Gatorade. The Shamrock Shuffle didn't have this problem despite having over twice as many runners.
Generally, the first two miles of the race were a little taxing, as it always seems to take a couple miles for my body to start delivering energy to my legs at the rate they require. Thankfully by mile 3, I was back to feeling good, and was basically in cruise control, just enjoying the nice weather. Then, amazingly, I started seeing the front-runners on their return trip, so I thought I'd grab a shot.
Pretty great shot for a camera phone taking a picture while I'm running, don't you think? (OK, I slowed to a walk to grab the shot...)
Anyway, that's basically the way it went for the next few miles. I hit the turn-around point in another couple miles, still feeling good. There was a guy there with a mic and a sound system shouting encouragement to the racers, and they were playing Chelsea Dagger, the song that the Chicago Blackhawks always play when the Hawks score a goal, so that was a nice little pump-up moment.
Thankfully, the water stations got a bit less crowded on the back half of the race. I guess by then, the crowd was spread out more, so the cup-fillers could keep up. I was basically doing miles between 10:30 and 11:00, based on the timers I saw at the mile markers. I think I tended towards the 10:30 side in the middle miles, making up for the slow first mile and the time it was taking at the water stations.
Then I hit the 8-mile mark, which was significant because 8 miles was the farthest I'd ever run in a single stretch before. I guess my legs knew that, too, because that's when they started feeling a bit more tired. At that point, though, I didn't care because I knew that I was just 2 miles from the finish. I wasn't slowing down, I was just feeling it in my legs a bit. The temperature was climbing a bit, too, probably in the mid 70's at that point. There was a nice breeze off the lake, though. Really not uncomfortable at all. And then a little after the 8-mile mark I saw my friend, Fuzzy, and I ran with him for a little while.
Thankfully, the water stations got a bit less crowded on the back half of the race. I guess by then, the crowd was spread out more, so the cup-fillers could keep up. I was basically doing miles between 10:30 and 11:00, based on the timers I saw at the mile markers. I think I tended towards the 10:30 side in the middle miles, making up for the slow first mile and the time it was taking at the water stations.
Then I hit the 8-mile mark, which was significant because 8 miles was the farthest I'd ever run in a single stretch before. I guess my legs knew that, too, because that's when they started feeling a bit more tired. At that point, though, I didn't care because I knew that I was just 2 miles from the finish. I wasn't slowing down, I was just feeling it in my legs a bit. The temperature was climbing a bit, too, probably in the mid 70's at that point. There was a nice breeze off the lake, though. Really not uncomfortable at all. And then a little after the 8-mile mark I saw my friend, Fuzzy, and I ran with him for a little while.
Then I hit mile 9 and I could easily see Soldier Field in front of me, which felt really great. I think I might have quickened my pace just a little bit. I didn't want to sprint it out and screw anything up, so I just kept cruising, but it definitely felt good to know I was almost done.
As we worked our way down the road alongside the stadium, two things happened. One, I saw some finishers walking around, and they had medals around their necks. I didn't know we were getting medals! I was excited about that. And then I heard the following announcement on the loudspeakers: Attention racers, the course is now closed. The course warning system is now at Condition: Black. Please stop running, and walk through the finish.
BULL...SHIT! If they were going to stop me from running through to the finish, they were gonna have to tackle me. Nobody that I saw stopped running, not while we were right alongside the stadium. I thought it was a pretty bad over-reaction. If running at 75 degrees with moderate humidity and a nice breeze are race-closing conditions, nobody in New Orleans would ever get to run! I'm curious to know if there was something more to it, but if it was just concerns about heat, then it was really a bad overreaction.
That silliness aside, I soon turned left and entered the belly of the stadium. Then, one more left turn and I could see the field from the tunnel. Then before I knew it, I was on the grass of Soldier Field, and the stadium loudspeakers were playing "Sweet Home Chicago", which was an awesome song to hear, coming home to the finish.
And then I was done! According to the chip timer, I finished in 1:49:38, which is just a hair under 11 minutes per mile. That's just about what I figured. I think without the delays of the crowd and the water stations, I could have done a 10:30 pace without a problem. But all in all, I was satisfied with my time and the way I felt at the end of the race.
Walking through the finish area, I picked up one of these beauties:
I wore it all day! :)
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Finished the 10-mile!
Full race recap coming in a while. I've got a pretty busy day, so I need some time to sit down and write it all out and upload some pictures. Just wanted for now to say that I did finish, and it was a great race!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
CES 5K run
Statistics:
Distance: 5K / 3.1 Miles
Time: 28:24
*no map today - I forgot to turn on the tracking. Oops. At least I still got an accurate time!
Observations:
I am so psyched about the 5K race we did today! After Monday's run, I was really anticipating a slower run today. The coaches had asked us to predict our times, and I had made what I felt was an aggressive prediction of 28:30, which didn't take into account the hotter temperatures of this week.
So I set out on the run at what I knew was a challenging pace, but one that I thought I had a decent chance of sustaining. Not 100% sure, because I wanted to challenge myself, but not unrealistic either.
I wasn't sure whether or not I should bring my water belt, but I was really glad I did. I drained that sucker dry!
It was a little weird to not have mile splits. I had no idea if I was going faster or slower than I intended. But when I got to the half-way turnaround, I felt good because it seemed sooner than I thought it would be.
On the second half of the course, I tried to pick off runners one by one. I slowly reeled them in, not so much because I was increasing my pace - I felt like I was still being consistent - but maybe they were slowing down and I wasn't. Anyway, as a point of pride, nobody passed me after the turnaround. :)
I was definitely ready for the run to be over when I got to the last quarter mile or so. I have a way of measuring my breathing by seeing how many steps I take for each inhale and how many for each exhale. At the start, it was 3 steps in, 3 steps out. At the finish, it was closer to 1 in, 1 out. But then it was over, and I found out my time was 28:24! So that was a pretty great feeling because 1) I had accurately predicted my time to within 6 seconds, and 2) the prediction was one I'd considered aggressive for me, even had the temperature been cooler than it was. So I really couldn't be more pleased with the outcome today.
Street Shout-out:
Shout-out to the flock of geese that decided to migrate across our path in the middle of the race. I was happy to see them all safely on the other side of the path by the time I passed by on the return leg.
Next:
Saturday - Soldier Field 10-Mile race!
Distance: 5K / 3.1 Miles
Time: 28:24
*no map today - I forgot to turn on the tracking. Oops. At least I still got an accurate time!
Observations:
I am so psyched about the 5K race we did today! After Monday's run, I was really anticipating a slower run today. The coaches had asked us to predict our times, and I had made what I felt was an aggressive prediction of 28:30, which didn't take into account the hotter temperatures of this week.
So I set out on the run at what I knew was a challenging pace, but one that I thought I had a decent chance of sustaining. Not 100% sure, because I wanted to challenge myself, but not unrealistic either.
I wasn't sure whether or not I should bring my water belt, but I was really glad I did. I drained that sucker dry!
It was a little weird to not have mile splits. I had no idea if I was going faster or slower than I intended. But when I got to the half-way turnaround, I felt good because it seemed sooner than I thought it would be.
On the second half of the course, I tried to pick off runners one by one. I slowly reeled them in, not so much because I was increasing my pace - I felt like I was still being consistent - but maybe they were slowing down and I wasn't. Anyway, as a point of pride, nobody passed me after the turnaround. :)
I was definitely ready for the run to be over when I got to the last quarter mile or so. I have a way of measuring my breathing by seeing how many steps I take for each inhale and how many for each exhale. At the start, it was 3 steps in, 3 steps out. At the finish, it was closer to 1 in, 1 out. But then it was over, and I found out my time was 28:24! So that was a pretty great feeling because 1) I had accurately predicted my time to within 6 seconds, and 2) the prediction was one I'd considered aggressive for me, even had the temperature been cooler than it was. So I really couldn't be more pleased with the outcome today.
Street Shout-out:
Shout-out to the flock of geese that decided to migrate across our path in the middle of the race. I was happy to see them all safely on the other side of the path by the time I passed by on the return leg.
Next:
Saturday - Soldier Field 10-Mile race!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thanks, Duncan Keith!
Statistics:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 42:15
Observations:
Phew, it was hot today! Temperature played a significant factor in today's run. While my legs felt fine, I was definitely breathing harder and working harder to keep running. While last Thursday's 4-miler felt decent, today was a challenge. I had to take a walk for half a block at the end of mile 2.
I was really tempted to call off my run after my first 2-mile lap, but I managed to keep going, thanks to the Chicago Blackhawks, specifically number 2, Duncan Keith. See, he took a puck to the face yesterday in the Blackhawks playoff game 4. The puck took out SEVEN of his teeth, and guess what? He STAYED IN and finished the game, helping Chicago go on to win their first appearance in the Stanley Cup finals since 1992. Anyway, the guy is a hoss! So I figured, if he can play hockey after losing seven teeth, the least I could do was run one more 2-mile lap.
I should have taken my water bottle with me. Normally I don't take it unless I'm going 5 miles or more. But I should have thought more about the temperature and how much more I'd be sweating. Oh well, live and learn. Also, now I have a better idea what to expect on Wednesday night for the timed 5K race. I am a bit concerned that the heat is going to affect what kind of time I get, but there's not much I can do about it. Plus, it's only going to get hotter, so getting my first timed run in the heat will probably be more accurate in the long run.
One nice thing was that a couple people were watering their lawns with lawn sprinklers, which provided a refreshing blast of cold water to the face.
Next:
Wednesday - 5K CES race
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 42:15
Observations:
Phew, it was hot today! Temperature played a significant factor in today's run. While my legs felt fine, I was definitely breathing harder and working harder to keep running. While last Thursday's 4-miler felt decent, today was a challenge. I had to take a walk for half a block at the end of mile 2.
I was really tempted to call off my run after my first 2-mile lap, but I managed to keep going, thanks to the Chicago Blackhawks, specifically number 2, Duncan Keith. See, he took a puck to the face yesterday in the Blackhawks playoff game 4. The puck took out SEVEN of his teeth, and guess what? He STAYED IN and finished the game, helping Chicago go on to win their first appearance in the Stanley Cup finals since 1992. Anyway, the guy is a hoss! So I figured, if he can play hockey after losing seven teeth, the least I could do was run one more 2-mile lap.
I should have taken my water bottle with me. Normally I don't take it unless I'm going 5 miles or more. But I should have thought more about the temperature and how much more I'd be sweating. Oh well, live and learn. Also, now I have a better idea what to expect on Wednesday night for the timed 5K race. I am a bit concerned that the heat is going to affect what kind of time I get, but there's not much I can do about it. Plus, it's only going to get hotter, so getting my first timed run in the heat will probably be more accurate in the long run.
One nice thing was that a couple people were watering their lawns with lawn sprinklers, which provided a refreshing blast of cold water to the face.
Next:
Wednesday - 5K CES race
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Foggy day
Statistics:
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 1:06:00
*Sorry, due to thick fog, my GPS couldn't get a lock on any satellites, so there's no tracking today.
Observations:
Really foggy this morning! Couldn't see very far, especially close to the lake. It was kind of neat, though. Definitely gave a different feel to the morning as opposed to last week. One difference was that we were all getting really sweaty by the end of the run. I guess the high humidity was the cause. But it was still cool, so that was nice. I'm trying to remember to enjoy the cool weather while it lasts!
Otherwise, not much to report. Run was easy, as it should have been. It does feel good to be calling a 6-mile run "easy".
I'm looking forward to next week. Monday will be my normal run, but Wednesday after work, they're timing us for a 5k, so I'll get to run hard and see how much I can chop my time down. They can use my time to figure out what kind of pace I should run for longer races. Then, Saturday is the Soldier Field 10-miler. Really looking forward to that!
Next:
Monday - 40 minute run
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 1:06:00
*Sorry, due to thick fog, my GPS couldn't get a lock on any satellites, so there's no tracking today.
Observations:
Really foggy this morning! Couldn't see very far, especially close to the lake. It was kind of neat, though. Definitely gave a different feel to the morning as opposed to last week. One difference was that we were all getting really sweaty by the end of the run. I guess the high humidity was the cause. But it was still cool, so that was nice. I'm trying to remember to enjoy the cool weather while it lasts!
Otherwise, not much to report. Run was easy, as it should have been. It does feel good to be calling a 6-mile run "easy".
I'm looking forward to next week. Monday will be my normal run, but Wednesday after work, they're timing us for a 5k, so I'll get to run hard and see how much I can chop my time down. They can use my time to figure out what kind of pace I should run for longer races. Then, Saturday is the Soldier Field 10-miler. Really looking forward to that!
Next:
Monday - 40 minute run
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Running in the Rain
Statistics:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:51
Observations:
Light drizzle throughout the run, but not unpleasant. I didn't end up running yesterday, so I had to make up for it today. 6:00 AM at Diversey and Lakeshore is just too early for me, and I had tickets to see Conan O'Brien last night at 7:30 PM so a run after work, before the show wasn't really feasible either.
Anyway, I was thinking a 10:30 pace would be good, so I set out at what I thought was that pace. Turned out I hit mile 1 at 9:55. I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep that pace up, but I thought I'd try and see what happened. At mile 2, I was at 20:10, so I'd lost a few seconds, but pretty much still on pace. Mile 3 was at 30:15, and at that point I decided I wanted to finish in under 40 minutes, so I just turned it up ever so slightly and brought it home in 39:51, which felt really good to do!
There's just something about the first 2.5 to 3 miles that sucks, though. It's like my legs are still working out how best to distribute the workload. I'll get slight cramps or pains here and there, which end up working themselves out. Nothing bad, just little facts of life for a runner, I guess. Mile 4 felt pretty good, though. Partly because I was focused on maintaining my pace, but partly because I think my legs had finally worked out which muscles would be doing what.
Next:
Saturday - 6 miles
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:51
Observations:
Light drizzle throughout the run, but not unpleasant. I didn't end up running yesterday, so I had to make up for it today. 6:00 AM at Diversey and Lakeshore is just too early for me, and I had tickets to see Conan O'Brien last night at 7:30 PM so a run after work, before the show wasn't really feasible either.
Anyway, I was thinking a 10:30 pace would be good, so I set out at what I thought was that pace. Turned out I hit mile 1 at 9:55. I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep that pace up, but I thought I'd try and see what happened. At mile 2, I was at 20:10, so I'd lost a few seconds, but pretty much still on pace. Mile 3 was at 30:15, and at that point I decided I wanted to finish in under 40 minutes, so I just turned it up ever so slightly and brought it home in 39:51, which felt really good to do!
There's just something about the first 2.5 to 3 miles that sucks, though. It's like my legs are still working out how best to distribute the workload. I'll get slight cramps or pains here and there, which end up working themselves out. Nothing bad, just little facts of life for a runner, I guess. Mile 4 felt pretty good, though. Partly because I was focused on maintaining my pace, but partly because I think my legs had finally worked out which muscles would be doing what.
Next:
Saturday - 6 miles
Monday, May 17, 2010
Run long and prosper
Statistics:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:56
Observations:
If you look to the right, you'll see a little box with a recent course list. So, instead of me having to put a link into every post, the links will be right there every time (as long as I continue to use this particular GPS app). Also, at the moment, their website seems to be down, but hopefully that is temporary.
So that's nerd exhibit A. Exhibit B is the GPS tracker itself, that I've been using since I started running. And tonight, just for a change of pace, I decided to load the Star Trek movie onto my iPod and listen to that while I ran. I will submit that as exhibit C. And now I'm blogging about my run - exhibit D.
As for the run, it was so-so. I didn't do a very good job of keeping a consistent pace. First mile was about 10 minutes, the second was about 11 minutes. The last two averaged to about 10:30. It's not too big a deal, though. The point of my training group is that I'll learn how to pace myself. That will happen over time. The point of today is basically to log my miles to improve my endurance and strength, and I accomplished that.
Next:
Wednesday - 40 minutes
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:56
Observations:
If you look to the right, you'll see a little box with a recent course list. So, instead of me having to put a link into every post, the links will be right there every time (as long as I continue to use this particular GPS app). Also, at the moment, their website seems to be down, but hopefully that is temporary.
So that's nerd exhibit A. Exhibit B is the GPS tracker itself, that I've been using since I started running. And tonight, just for a change of pace, I decided to load the Star Trek movie onto my iPod and listen to that while I ran. I will submit that as exhibit C. And now I'm blogging about my run - exhibit D.
As for the run, it was so-so. I didn't do a very good job of keeping a consistent pace. First mile was about 10 minutes, the second was about 11 minutes. The last two averaged to about 10:30. It's not too big a deal, though. The point of my training group is that I'll learn how to pace myself. That will happen over time. The point of today is basically to log my miles to improve my endurance and strength, and I accomplished that.
Next:
Wednesday - 40 minutes
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Group run number 1
Statistics:
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 57:11
Stats/Track map
Observations:
Well, getting out of bed at 5:30 is not easy, especially when I wasn't able to get to bed early. The problem is that I wasn't tired early, so I fell asleep somewhere around 1:00. So, not much sleep.
But, I did get myself going, ate a quick small breakfast, and jumped on the train. I was supposed to get there at 6:15, but my train got there around 6:25, so I was a bit hurried. Not a big deal, though. I got to Fleet Feet by 6:30, stashed my gear, and headed out to the start, which is near the Ben Franklin statue in the park (see the map). We had a short introduction, and grouped up according to our pace teams.
The weather was just about perfect. Mid 50's, partly-cloudy, pretty. So we started heading out to the path and started our run. The way it works is you run two-by-two with your group so there's room on the path for people to pass if necessary. The first person I was next to was listening to her headphones, so I didn't really have anyone to talk to, which kind of sucked. Thankfully, we got shuffled around after a mile or so, and I ended up talking to a guy named Bernie. After talking for a while, I came to discover that Bernie was a contestant on The Biggest Loser a couple years ago, which was pretty awesome. He'd lost 130 pounds! I thought that was really impressive. Now he travels around the country giving talks about motivation and fitness and lifestyle. He's training for his third marathon! Wow! After the half-way turnaround I got to talk to someone else, who turned out to be a producer for WGN radio, and it turned out we had some mutual friends in the improv world, so that was cool.
Anyway, it was an easy run. I chose the 11:00 per mile pace group because they said that the Saturday runs should be easy. They're just about logging distance, not pushing speed. I think we ended up doing more like 11:30, according to my timer, but that's not a big deal. It just felt really good to be out by the lake, running with the group. I'm already looking forward to Wednesday's group run. Normally I'll be doing the 6:30 PM group run, but I have tickets to go see Conan O'Brien that night, so I am going to try to make the 6:00 AM morning run. Crazy, I know, but you gotta do what you gotta do!
Next:
Monday - 40 minutes easy run
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 57:11
Stats/Track map
Observations:
Well, getting out of bed at 5:30 is not easy, especially when I wasn't able to get to bed early. The problem is that I wasn't tired early, so I fell asleep somewhere around 1:00. So, not much sleep.
But, I did get myself going, ate a quick small breakfast, and jumped on the train. I was supposed to get there at 6:15, but my train got there around 6:25, so I was a bit hurried. Not a big deal, though. I got to Fleet Feet by 6:30, stashed my gear, and headed out to the start, which is near the Ben Franklin statue in the park (see the map). We had a short introduction, and grouped up according to our pace teams.
The weather was just about perfect. Mid 50's, partly-cloudy, pretty. So we started heading out to the path and started our run. The way it works is you run two-by-two with your group so there's room on the path for people to pass if necessary. The first person I was next to was listening to her headphones, so I didn't really have anyone to talk to, which kind of sucked. Thankfully, we got shuffled around after a mile or so, and I ended up talking to a guy named Bernie. After talking for a while, I came to discover that Bernie was a contestant on The Biggest Loser a couple years ago, which was pretty awesome. He'd lost 130 pounds! I thought that was really impressive. Now he travels around the country giving talks about motivation and fitness and lifestyle. He's training for his third marathon! Wow! After the half-way turnaround I got to talk to someone else, who turned out to be a producer for WGN radio, and it turned out we had some mutual friends in the improv world, so that was cool.
Anyway, it was an easy run. I chose the 11:00 per mile pace group because they said that the Saturday runs should be easy. They're just about logging distance, not pushing speed. I think we ended up doing more like 11:30, according to my timer, but that's not a big deal. It just felt really good to be out by the lake, running with the group. I'm already looking forward to Wednesday's group run. Normally I'll be doing the 6:30 PM group run, but I have tickets to go see Conan O'Brien that night, so I am going to try to make the 6:00 AM morning run. Crazy, I know, but you gotta do what you gotta do!
Next:
Monday - 40 minutes easy run
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Timing
Statistics:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 42:15
Stats/Track map
Observations:
I debated whether or not I should run today or wait until tomorrow. My training schedule does allow for adjustments like that. The main reason I considered waiting was that I was feeling a little twinge in my left ankle from my run Monday or Saturday or both. Running tomorrow would have given me two days of recovery since my last run, but then would give me only one day of recovery before my 5-miler on Saturday morning. That, plus the weather says it's supposed to storm all tomorrow. Actually, it was also supposed to storm tonight, but that hasn't happened yet. Anyway, I decided to go today and then give my legs two days to rest until Saturday.
I didn't do the cross-training yesterday, but my training program does allow for me to take a rest day instead of cross-training. Since I'd been pushing my long run distance lately, my legs have needed more recovery, and so I am electing not to cross-train this week. I'll decide what to do next week once I get to talk to a coach on Saturday.
My big question for them is how far I should be running. I'd been working on increasing my endurance so I can complete the Soldier Field 10-miler on the 29th, but my training program only calls for 5 and 6-mile long runs between now and then. So I want to ask if I should increase those long runs to better prepare for Soldier Field. If I do that, I may go with rest days instead of cross-training. But like I said, I'll wait on that until I talk to my coach on Saturday.
Oh yeah, so my run tonight. 4 miles. the only remarkable thing was that my lower legs got really tight on mile 3. By outer shins and calf muscles just felt tight with a little burning (lactic acid build-up I think). They felt better during mile 4, and they felt pretty normal on my warm-down and post-run stretch. Still, not pleasant on an otherwise good run.
And it's starting to rain now. Good timing!
Next:
Saturday - 5 miles - my first group run! Looking forward to it! :)
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 42:15
Stats/Track map
Observations:
I debated whether or not I should run today or wait until tomorrow. My training schedule does allow for adjustments like that. The main reason I considered waiting was that I was feeling a little twinge in my left ankle from my run Monday or Saturday or both. Running tomorrow would have given me two days of recovery since my last run, but then would give me only one day of recovery before my 5-miler on Saturday morning. That, plus the weather says it's supposed to storm all tomorrow. Actually, it was also supposed to storm tonight, but that hasn't happened yet. Anyway, I decided to go today and then give my legs two days to rest until Saturday.
I didn't do the cross-training yesterday, but my training program does allow for me to take a rest day instead of cross-training. Since I'd been pushing my long run distance lately, my legs have needed more recovery, and so I am electing not to cross-train this week. I'll decide what to do next week once I get to talk to a coach on Saturday.
My big question for them is how far I should be running. I'd been working on increasing my endurance so I can complete the Soldier Field 10-miler on the 29th, but my training program only calls for 5 and 6-mile long runs between now and then. So I want to ask if I should increase those long runs to better prepare for Soldier Field. If I do that, I may go with rest days instead of cross-training. But like I said, I'll wait on that until I talk to my coach on Saturday.
Oh yeah, so my run tonight. 4 miles. the only remarkable thing was that my lower legs got really tight on mile 3. By outer shins and calf muscles just felt tight with a little burning (lactic acid build-up I think). They felt better during mile 4, and they felt pretty normal on my warm-down and post-run stretch. Still, not pleasant on an otherwise good run.
And it's starting to rain now. Good timing!
Next:
Saturday - 5 miles - my first group run! Looking forward to it! :)
Monday, May 10, 2010
CES Run 1 done
Statistics:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:10
Stats/Track map
Observations:
Wasn't sure how today was going to play out. I had a twinge in my left calf from Saturday's long run. I was debating doing my cross-training workout today and running tomorrow instead, but decided I wanted to push through it and see how it felt to run today (after looking at the weather forecast).
The training program called for 40 minutes of running, rather than a prescribed distance. Knowing my runs lately, I figured that'd be a little under 4 miles. Maybe 3.5 or so. Anyway, I set out at a brisk pace, but nothing too taxing. At my first mile marker, I had done about 10:10. I felt like I'd slowed down a bit for the second mile, but when I hit that distance, I was still cruising at about that pace, perhaps a bit slower with a 10:20 or so.
The last two miles also felt good. I was able to keep that pace up without difficulty, and I think I could have done two more miles at that pace had that been on the agenda. So all in all, a good run. Oh, and I did it without bringing my water bottle, so that's pretty cool.
OK, an added bonus. On my run, I saw this, and I had to stop and take a picture.
I believe there may be a bucket. I do not believe it contains honey. This ranks right up there with previous favorite port-o-potty names "Lepre-Can" and "Drop Zone".
Next:
Tuesday - cross-training (strength training/weight lifting)
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:10
Stats/Track map
Observations:
Wasn't sure how today was going to play out. I had a twinge in my left calf from Saturday's long run. I was debating doing my cross-training workout today and running tomorrow instead, but decided I wanted to push through it and see how it felt to run today (after looking at the weather forecast).
The training program called for 40 minutes of running, rather than a prescribed distance. Knowing my runs lately, I figured that'd be a little under 4 miles. Maybe 3.5 or so. Anyway, I set out at a brisk pace, but nothing too taxing. At my first mile marker, I had done about 10:10. I felt like I'd slowed down a bit for the second mile, but when I hit that distance, I was still cruising at about that pace, perhaps a bit slower with a 10:20 or so.
The last two miles also felt good. I was able to keep that pace up without difficulty, and I think I could have done two more miles at that pace had that been on the agenda. So all in all, a good run. Oh, and I did it without bringing my water bottle, so that's pretty cool.
OK, an added bonus. On my run, I saw this, and I had to stop and take a picture.
I believe there may be a bucket. I do not believe it contains honey. This ranks right up there with previous favorite port-o-potty names "Lepre-Can" and "Drop Zone".
Next:
Tuesday - cross-training (strength training/weight lifting)
Sunday, May 9, 2010
CES Training Week 1 of 19
Here's my training schedule for the upcoming week:
Sunday:
Rest/stretch
Monday:
Run - 40 minutes - stretch
Tuesday:
Cross-train - 30-40 minutes - stretch
Wednesday:
Group run - 40 minutes - stretch
Thursday:
Cross-train - 30-40 minutes - stretch
Friday:
Rest/stretch
Saturday:
Group run - 5 miles - stretch
I get the feeling stretching is important. ;)
Sunday:
Rest/stretch
Monday:
Run - 40 minutes - stretch
Tuesday:
Cross-train - 30-40 minutes - stretch
Wednesday:
Group run - 40 minutes - stretch
Thursday:
Cross-train - 30-40 minutes - stretch
Friday:
Rest/stretch
Saturday:
Group run - 5 miles - stretch
I get the feeling stretching is important. ;)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Highs and Lows
Statistics:
Distance: 8 miles
Time: 1:28:55
*No track map this time. There was a problem with my track mapper app. Thankfully it still recorded time accurately, but the distance was way off. If you're really curious, lemme know and I'll send you the map link.
Observations:
Preamble to the run - I ambled my way down to Piper's Alley in Old Town at 8:00 this morning for the CES (Chicago Endurance Sports) packet pickup/orientation. This is the running/training group I joined (see last entry). It's a pretty cool organization and I was pretty pumped to get my training schedule and other info. I'm looking forward to next Saturday for our first group run! I already picked up some good tips from the meeting today that I employed on my long run this afternoon. So let's get to that.
The weather today has been kind of ADHD. It started out overcast in the 40's this morning, but by the afternoon it was 50's and sunny. Then overcast and drizzly, then sunny, then raining. I'll get to that.
I ended up waiting until the afternoon to go because the weather was supposed to improve. It did, somewhat. It was in the 50's instead of the 40's, but still really windy. I stepped outside, then came back in to grab my running windbreaker.
For the 8-miler, I decided to do 4 laps of my 2-mile course. I thought about doing two 3-mile laps plus one 2-mile, but somehow that feels longer in my head. It feels easier when I can tic off the laps in my head.
So I did the first two miles, and that's when I realized that the mapper was acting weird. Also, after I got my body warmed up, I was a bit too hot with the windbreaker, so I ducked in to drop off the jacket at my apartment then came right back out to continue.
The first 4 miles went fine. One thing I learned this morning is that you're supposed to specifically run slower on your long runs so that your body can recover easier by your next run. So I didn't push pace at all. I gave myself an easy pace for the first 4.
Starting at mile 5, it began to sprinkle...weirdly. The wind was clearly blowing from the north, which is where the rain was coming from, but looking above me, it was blue skies above me and to the north. The only clouds were slightly south of me. I guess that's just evidence of the complexity of physics in a complex entropic system.
After I finished mile 5, I noticed that my body definitely felt more tired than it had been during the first 4 miles. Not so much that I needed to stop, but enough that it sucked a little more. Also, during mile 6, it rained. Not sprinkles, but moderate rain. It was cold, windy, and raining. When it was happening, though, I was determined that I would finish my distance. So in a bizarre way, it gave me strength to finish since I was now running for spite of mother nature.
I guess she gave up because the rain was gone by the time I finished mile 6. But that's when I had my first real gut check moment in a while. I'd gotten about a quarter mile into the last lap and my lower calf in my left leg started to cramp up a bit. I'd noticed earlier that I'd been scuffing the soles of my shoes earlier, which isn't a good thing, so I had been consciously avoiding that, and that put extra pressure on my calves, I guess. So I had to stop and stretch them out for a minute. But then I kept going.
After 7 miles I was pretty ready to be done, but I knew I could do another mile, so I did, and I'm glad I finished it. I'll still have two more miles to go on May 29th for the Soldier Field run, but I'll be ready for that. It turns out that the race is actually part of the training program, so that's cool!
I'm pretty sore and stiff right now. I'm stretching my muscles every now and then, and I'll be walking some tonight, which should help. Mostly, though, I'm just really glad I finished my distance, a new record distance for me!
Next
I now have an actual schedule from my training group. Next workout is Monday - 40 minutes of easy running. Sounds nice... :)
Distance: 8 miles
Time: 1:28:55
*No track map this time. There was a problem with my track mapper app. Thankfully it still recorded time accurately, but the distance was way off. If you're really curious, lemme know and I'll send you the map link.
Observations:
Preamble to the run - I ambled my way down to Piper's Alley in Old Town at 8:00 this morning for the CES (Chicago Endurance Sports) packet pickup/orientation. This is the running/training group I joined (see last entry). It's a pretty cool organization and I was pretty pumped to get my training schedule and other info. I'm looking forward to next Saturday for our first group run! I already picked up some good tips from the meeting today that I employed on my long run this afternoon. So let's get to that.
The weather today has been kind of ADHD. It started out overcast in the 40's this morning, but by the afternoon it was 50's and sunny. Then overcast and drizzly, then sunny, then raining. I'll get to that.
I ended up waiting until the afternoon to go because the weather was supposed to improve. It did, somewhat. It was in the 50's instead of the 40's, but still really windy. I stepped outside, then came back in to grab my running windbreaker.
For the 8-miler, I decided to do 4 laps of my 2-mile course. I thought about doing two 3-mile laps plus one 2-mile, but somehow that feels longer in my head. It feels easier when I can tic off the laps in my head.
So I did the first two miles, and that's when I realized that the mapper was acting weird. Also, after I got my body warmed up, I was a bit too hot with the windbreaker, so I ducked in to drop off the jacket at my apartment then came right back out to continue.
The first 4 miles went fine. One thing I learned this morning is that you're supposed to specifically run slower on your long runs so that your body can recover easier by your next run. So I didn't push pace at all. I gave myself an easy pace for the first 4.
Starting at mile 5, it began to sprinkle...weirdly. The wind was clearly blowing from the north, which is where the rain was coming from, but looking above me, it was blue skies above me and to the north. The only clouds were slightly south of me. I guess that's just evidence of the complexity of physics in a complex entropic system.
After I finished mile 5, I noticed that my body definitely felt more tired than it had been during the first 4 miles. Not so much that I needed to stop, but enough that it sucked a little more. Also, during mile 6, it rained. Not sprinkles, but moderate rain. It was cold, windy, and raining. When it was happening, though, I was determined that I would finish my distance. So in a bizarre way, it gave me strength to finish since I was now running for spite of mother nature.
I guess she gave up because the rain was gone by the time I finished mile 6. But that's when I had my first real gut check moment in a while. I'd gotten about a quarter mile into the last lap and my lower calf in my left leg started to cramp up a bit. I'd noticed earlier that I'd been scuffing the soles of my shoes earlier, which isn't a good thing, so I had been consciously avoiding that, and that put extra pressure on my calves, I guess. So I had to stop and stretch them out for a minute. But then I kept going.
After 7 miles I was pretty ready to be done, but I knew I could do another mile, so I did, and I'm glad I finished it. I'll still have two more miles to go on May 29th for the Soldier Field run, but I'll be ready for that. It turns out that the race is actually part of the training program, so that's cool!
I'm pretty sore and stiff right now. I'm stretching my muscles every now and then, and I'll be walking some tonight, which should help. Mostly, though, I'm just really glad I finished my distance, a new record distance for me!
Next
I now have an actual schedule from my training group. Next workout is Monday - 40 minutes of easy running. Sounds nice... :)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Unglamorous topic
Statistics:
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:11
Stats/Track map
Observations:
Good run, yada yada. Chilly, yada yada. Progress, yada yada.
OK, now that that's out of the way, I'm going to talk about a topic that is not pretty, but present nonetheless. Snot. Where the crap is it all coming from?!? (yes, my nose, I know). When I run, it's like my nose knows and it decides to run, too. I don't know if it's the increased breathing I'm doing through my nose, or increased heart rate that brings more fluid to the mucus glands, or increased internal temperature, or WHAT, but damn, I wish it would slow down. I'm going to have to start carrying kleenex.
Otherwise a good run. If you check the map link, it says I only did 3.85 miles, but that's incorrect. I did a route with more turns than normal, so the GPS clipped the corners. I've established that each lap is exactly 2 miles, so I did 4 miles, and my pace was about 10:17 per mile, which feels good. I'm still getting used to that general level of discomfort and coming to terms that I'm going to have to put up with it for longer and longer amounts of time.
However, I did do something today that should help. I joined a running group. The Chicago Endurance Sports group, CES, is a training group that works with people for distance running. My friend Jessica has been running with them since last year and she really likes the group. They do both marathon and half-marathon training, and so I joined a training program specifically designed for completing both the Rock & Roll Half-Marathon and the Chicago Half-Marathon. I'm going to be getting an individually-tailored training plan. I'll be going on two group runs per week (plus normal solo runs). I'll have coaches to talk to and ask questions of. I think it's going to really be helpful. Plus there's the social aspect of it. It'll be nice to meet some new people. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but I'll be getting a lot out of it, so I feel like it's worth it.
Orientation is Saturday morning, so I'll know more about my training plan then. Oh, yeah, that reminds me...the Saturday morning group runs start at 6:30 AM. I know, right? Me waking up early...to run. Hah!
Next:
Saturday - 8 miles
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:11
Stats/Track map
Observations:
Good run, yada yada. Chilly, yada yada. Progress, yada yada.
OK, now that that's out of the way, I'm going to talk about a topic that is not pretty, but present nonetheless. Snot. Where the crap is it all coming from?!? (yes, my nose, I know). When I run, it's like my nose knows and it decides to run, too. I don't know if it's the increased breathing I'm doing through my nose, or increased heart rate that brings more fluid to the mucus glands, or increased internal temperature, or WHAT, but damn, I wish it would slow down. I'm going to have to start carrying kleenex.
Otherwise a good run. If you check the map link, it says I only did 3.85 miles, but that's incorrect. I did a route with more turns than normal, so the GPS clipped the corners. I've established that each lap is exactly 2 miles, so I did 4 miles, and my pace was about 10:17 per mile, which feels good. I'm still getting used to that general level of discomfort and coming to terms that I'm going to have to put up with it for longer and longer amounts of time.
However, I did do something today that should help. I joined a running group. The Chicago Endurance Sports group, CES, is a training group that works with people for distance running. My friend Jessica has been running with them since last year and she really likes the group. They do both marathon and half-marathon training, and so I joined a training program specifically designed for completing both the Rock & Roll Half-Marathon and the Chicago Half-Marathon. I'm going to be getting an individually-tailored training plan. I'll be going on two group runs per week (plus normal solo runs). I'll have coaches to talk to and ask questions of. I think it's going to really be helpful. Plus there's the social aspect of it. It'll be nice to meet some new people. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but I'll be getting a lot out of it, so I feel like it's worth it.
Orientation is Saturday morning, so I'll know more about my training plan then. Oh, yeah, that reminds me...the Saturday morning group runs start at 6:30 AM. I know, right? Me waking up early...to run. Hah!
Next:
Saturday - 8 miles
Monday, May 3, 2010
First run with a buddy
Statistics:
Distance: 3 miles + 2 miles
Time: 29:27 + 24:21
Stats/Track map 1
Stats/Track map 2
Observations:
As you can see, I split my run into two parts. The reason is that my friend, Amy, wanted to come along. She's a newer runner and didn't want to go as far and as fast as I have been running, so I had her join me for the end of my run. I did 3 miles on my own at a fast pace, then Amy and I did two miles at a more moderate pace.
I'm pretty happy with my results today. I did 3 miles in 29:27, which is the first time I've broken 30 miles for 3 miles since high school! It was definitely a more aerobic-intensive run than normal, but my pace was consistent, and I feel good about it. The pace was about 20 seconds per mile quicker than my 7-mile pace from Saturday, so that sounds decent.
Then it was about 10 minutes until Amy met up with me, so I stretched a bit, then we did two miles at about 12 minutes per mile. So the total was 5 miles, and I felt fine at the finish. I'm feeling good about my training pace for the Soldier Field 10-mail on Memorial Day weekend.
Street Shout-out:
Shout-out to the little (actually kinda big) stag beetle on the sidewalk.
Next:
Thursday - 4 miles
Distance: 3 miles + 2 miles
Time: 29:27 + 24:21
Stats/Track map 1
Stats/Track map 2
Observations:
As you can see, I split my run into two parts. The reason is that my friend, Amy, wanted to come along. She's a newer runner and didn't want to go as far and as fast as I have been running, so I had her join me for the end of my run. I did 3 miles on my own at a fast pace, then Amy and I did two miles at a more moderate pace.
I'm pretty happy with my results today. I did 3 miles in 29:27, which is the first time I've broken 30 miles for 3 miles since high school! It was definitely a more aerobic-intensive run than normal, but my pace was consistent, and I feel good about it. The pace was about 20 seconds per mile quicker than my 7-mile pace from Saturday, so that sounds decent.
Then it was about 10 minutes until Amy met up with me, so I stretched a bit, then we did two miles at about 12 minutes per mile. So the total was 5 miles, and I felt fine at the finish. I'm feeling good about my training pace for the Soldier Field 10-mail on Memorial Day weekend.
Street Shout-out:
Shout-out to the little (actually kinda big) stag beetle on the sidewalk.
Next:
Thursday - 4 miles
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Becoming comfortable with discomfort
Statistics:
Distance: 7.15 miles
Time: 1:12:27
Stats/Track map
Observations:
If you look back a few weeks you'll see me wishing there were a tangible way to measure if I'm getting better. Well, this run ought to do it. New distance record - 7.15 miles, and in a time that averages out to 10:13 per mile! I felt pretty good that I could do 7 miles, but I had no idea I'd do it in that kind of time, and I'm really psyched about that!
This was a tougher run, and not just because it was a longer distance. I kind of did it up last night after my improv show with a few beers, and my lunch at taco bell today wasn't exactly the most run-friendly meal to have. I guess I just like to give myself a challenge. ;) Thankfully I had a lot of Gatorade at home, so I started re-hydrating from the beer when I got home last night, and then through the day today. Still, I could feel the difference between today and Thursday's 4-mile run.
Interestingly, the first three miles were the most difficult. I guess that's because my body was still getting used to the sudden increase in activity during the first couple miles. Then I got into a groove and cruised after that. Somewhere around mile 5 I decided that distance running probably means coming to terms with feeling comfortable with a certain level of discomfort. Not discomfort as in injury, thankfully, but just the general discomfort of performing a taxing activity that increases stress on your legs and body in general. So yeah, right around mile 3 I felt like I got into that groove where more distance wasn't making me feel any better or worse, the farther I went.
Also, I ran out of Gatorade at mile 5. I have a 20-ounce container on a belt that I bring with me for longer runs and take a few swigs at every mile. So I'll have to figure out what to do as I go for longer and longer runs. Perhaps pre-hydrating a bit more when I leave the apartment so I don't start drinking from my supply until a couple miles into my run. We'll see.
Track list:
I did bring along my iPod today. I figured with 7 miles, I might want a little distraction. I downloaded Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog (for those familiar with such things) to the iPod and listened to that to help the time pass. So I listened to that...twice. It's shorter than I remember it being. ;) I think I'll try my next long run without the iPod, though. It does distract me a bit from concentrating on regular breathing and consistent pace. But fine for my run today.
Distance: 7.15 miles
Time: 1:12:27
Stats/Track map
Observations:
If you look back a few weeks you'll see me wishing there were a tangible way to measure if I'm getting better. Well, this run ought to do it. New distance record - 7.15 miles, and in a time that averages out to 10:13 per mile! I felt pretty good that I could do 7 miles, but I had no idea I'd do it in that kind of time, and I'm really psyched about that!
This was a tougher run, and not just because it was a longer distance. I kind of did it up last night after my improv show with a few beers, and my lunch at taco bell today wasn't exactly the most run-friendly meal to have. I guess I just like to give myself a challenge. ;) Thankfully I had a lot of Gatorade at home, so I started re-hydrating from the beer when I got home last night, and then through the day today. Still, I could feel the difference between today and Thursday's 4-mile run.
Interestingly, the first three miles were the most difficult. I guess that's because my body was still getting used to the sudden increase in activity during the first couple miles. Then I got into a groove and cruised after that. Somewhere around mile 5 I decided that distance running probably means coming to terms with feeling comfortable with a certain level of discomfort. Not discomfort as in injury, thankfully, but just the general discomfort of performing a taxing activity that increases stress on your legs and body in general. So yeah, right around mile 3 I felt like I got into that groove where more distance wasn't making me feel any better or worse, the farther I went.
Also, I ran out of Gatorade at mile 5. I have a 20-ounce container on a belt that I bring with me for longer runs and take a few swigs at every mile. So I'll have to figure out what to do as I go for longer and longer runs. Perhaps pre-hydrating a bit more when I leave the apartment so I don't start drinking from my supply until a couple miles into my run. We'll see.
Track list:
I did bring along my iPod today. I figured with 7 miles, I might want a little distraction. I downloaded Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog (for those familiar with such things) to the iPod and listened to that to help the time pass. So I listened to that...twice. It's shorter than I remember it being. ;) I think I'll try my next long run without the iPod, though. It does distract me a bit from concentrating on regular breathing and consistent pace. But fine for my run today.
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