Back on the wagon

Although I had a temporary scare, I will indeed be running CIM this December. My company, Hankook Tire, has its US headquarters in New Jersey. Hankook will be flying Rebbie and I out to NJ on December 5-8 for a company Christmas party. Management has excused me from the opening night social so that I can run CIM. I haven't quite worked through the details but mostly likely I will take some sort of "wash cloth" shower before boarding a 1 pm flight to Newark. This is not a gross as it seems. I did it at Hartford about 5 years ago.

I'm thankful that I will be running but my training took a big-time downward slide last month. After a tough sickness that beat me up for a full week, and then a week long trip to South Korea, and then a extended weekend at PSU with my son, I'm back and ready. To illustrate my decline let's look at September versus October. In September, my best month ever, I logged 232 miles in October I ran 109. I'm very happy to have October in the rear view mirror. I hope everyone is healthy and not pushing too hard like I mostly likely did.

It Pays to Go the Extra Mile

Having not run Saturday and Sunday, I planned to do a medium run today before going to work ... at least 8 and probably 11.  Woke up feeling well; got off to an early start.  At four miles made the turn to extend to 11 feeling good.  Approaching home, I decided to run past our neighborhood to the one behind us to make it 12.  As home was getting near, I thought, "Gee one loop around our subdivision and I will have done a half".  With less than an quarter to go that's when it happened.  Looking down, I saw the JACKPOT!  PAPER MONEY!  I had never seen it before on a run.  Sure, nichols and dimes; sometimes even a quarter ... but PAPER MONEY, now that's a find.  Soaked to the pavement, it took some prying to get it loose.  At first, I wondered if it was glued in place.  But no, it was mine.  Now don't get any crazy ideas about calling me for handouts.  I'm thinking I may need to set up a trust to regulate things.  So, now I understand why they say that it pays to go the extra mile.  By the way, I had a great run.  No rain.  Perfect weather - cool and calm.  Less than six weeks until CIM.  I'm still wondering if I have a sub 4 in me.  Alexa and I are planning a long one this next weekend.  Keep running and stay well.  See you at the starting line, Todd.

First Rain Run

I always look forward to autumn and running in the rain.  Well, we don't have much of an autumn in California and certainly get only a little rain, but I can imagine, can't I?  This morning with it in the low 50's and with a few drops of rain, it's about as close as we get to that ideal autumn day.  Running is going well.

Only 6 weeks, I think, until CIM (California International Marathon).  Katy, Alexa, Abby, and I are all signed up.  Little-big Todd (Y) is also registered but may be out of town on business.  Katy is pacing the 5:00 group so Alexa and I may run together - aiming for that 4:00 target.  Not sure if Abby will be ahead or not.  I think everyone is getting their miles in.  I know LBT was tracking a 3:20 BQ (Boston Qualifier) but may have to delay that until spring.  Did you figure out LBT was little-big Todd Y?  Abby recently ran a fast Half at San Jose and hopes to make her debut to blog posting soon.  She and Todd are busy moving this weekend.  I look forward to hearing about her new running routes in the city once she gets settled.

My "hammie" is hanging in there.  I'm still icing at times, right now sitting on ice after an easy 5 this morning.  I have been steady at 40 or so miles per week for the past 4-5 weeks.  No speed work which is a little disappointing to me.  I miss those "street-intervals" and tempo runs.  It seems that everything is about the same pace.  Long runs are not much slower than the easy recovery ones.  I think I will wait until after CIM to think about speed.  Maybe that will be future blog posting.  Right now I am just trying to stay running fit to be able to run the next day.

Well off to work.  Keep running and supporting those runners.  Feel free to add your comments.  Enjoy Autumn.  Oh, by the way, that's a picture of our dogwood with it's "autumn berries".  Too early for leaves here in the west.  It must be gorgeous about now back east.  See you at the starting line, Todd.

Last race of the multi-sport season

Glad to hear that Alexa's trail race went well. I'd like to try one of those one day once I build up my run mileage!

Sunday was my final race of the multi-sport season here in New England. We're starting to get some chilly mornings (30's) so triathlon season is over. The race on Sunday was a duathlon - run/bike/run - and a short one at that. I went into the race with high expectations, wanting to win my age group, and I was able to accomplish that goal.

The length of the legs were 2 miles, 10.3 miles, and 2.3 miles. It was a chilly morning with temperatures in the low to mid 40's. Katie and I arrived at the transition area about an hour before race time, and I helped Katie set up for her first duathlon. Eventually, we made it to the start, debating what to wear - I ended up just wearing my club's tri suit even though it was around 45 at race start.

My wave of runners went out at a fast pace, and I clocked a sub 6:00 pace for the 2 mile run. My bike time was 3rd overall, and only 20 seconds off the fastest pace. The last run was a bit more hilly and my pace was around 6:20. My overall time was good enough for 5th overall and 1st in my AG, which was my goal going into the race. Katie, placed 6th in her age group and right in the middle of the overall field, and she finished with a smile on her face in 183rd.

Next up is  a 10-miler in early November - my plan is to try to run a road race every month as I keep up with the triathlon training over the winter. Heading into next year my goal is to win an overall triathlon and to qualify for Boston 2112.

Results can be seen here:
http://www.coolrunning.com/results/10/ma/Oct17_Scitua_set1.shtml

Sierra Nevada Endurance Run Marathon: update from Alexa

I completed my 8th marathon 2 weeks ago (and it was my first trail marathon) with my running partner Katy. We had a great day out there and appreciated the support from our family (thanks Dad, Chad, Tracy, and Reagan for cheering and Elizabeth for your texts). It got pretty hot at the finish, but we were happy with our day and sure enjoyed the popsicles at the end.

We got an award for finishing in our age group! Very exciting. We officially tied for 3rd in our age group :) Yes, it was small field, but there were runners behind us.

I am looking forward to more trail running in the future. I wasn't even sore the next day, even though the course was challenging and pretty technical. I think that the trails are more forgiving on my body. I am considering signing up for a 50K trail run in early March (Way Too Cool).

But in the near future, we are looking forward to CIM in 8 weeks! We hope to maybe PR again there.
Happy running,
Alexa

Applefest 1/2 Marathon

Yesterday was our big race this fall, a 1/2 marathon in Hollis, NH. The weather was far from a typical New England fall day. Race time was 10:00 to probably allow people from Mass to get to the race.

It was already sunny and 70 degrees when Katie and I left our house around 7:45 - not a good sign!

The temperature was at least 80 degrees by the time the race began, but I still decided to shoot for my goal of 1:30. The race course is quite hilly (see pic below), and the first half of the course is mostly downhill. By the midpoint I was still right on pace: 44:47, but I knew what was coming.

However, soon after that the heat and humidity began getting to me and then the hills began. My pace went from a little under 7:00 to over 7:30 pretty quickly. It seemed like I was constantly looking up at the next hill.

It didn't help that I started getting blisters on my toes - I need to remember not to wear my tri shoes for longer races next time!

I guess the good news is that the heat and humidity seemed to get to everyone - quite a few people were walking some of the hills. I finished in a time of 1:36:42, which was surprisingly good enough for 32nd overall and 2nd in my age group, winning us an apple pie! The same time the previous year would have put me 69th place. Katie finished in just under 2 hours (1:59:27), which was her goal!

While in line for food after the race, Katie and I talked to another runner who ran the course two weeks ago in training and was six minutes faster than he was on race day. He said the temp in training was around 60 degrees. That 20-30 degree change made a big difference.

Considering the weather conditions, it was a good day of racing. I set a PR by two minutes on a pretty hilly course under far from ideal conditions. My IT band, which had been giving me some problems, was a non-factor. Now, I'll just have to find an early spring 1/2 to break 1:30 in.

http://www.coolrunning.com/results/10/nh/Sep25_28thAn_set1.shtml

Update from Alexa: Run on the Sly race last weekend

Hello running friends! My trail marathon is in 2 weeks and I am enjoying the taper. Last weekend, I completed Run on the Sly 20-mile race with my running partner Katy. It was a fun day, the trail course had quite a bit of elevation changes, and we had to cross through a creek! Yes, we had to submerge our sneakers and then trudge for the next few miles with soaking wet feet...that was not the highlight of the run. I contemplated taking my shoes off to cross it, but Katy bravely charged into the water! She took a fall about a mile from the finish...from my angle it was like she was sliding into home base and she was covered in dirt and skinned her knees. Also not the highlight. She is okay by the way. I thought the best part of the run was the trail around Jenkinson lake. It was more similar to the trails we have been running in GB, compared to the rest of the course. I kept thinking that these trails were easier than our trail marathon will be...I guess we will wait and see. I also loved the aid stations: candy bars, potatos dipped in salt, rice krispie treats! yum!!! I think we spent 5 minutes at each aid station enjoying the grub. I was ready to pull up a chair at the last one and have a feast, lol!

I ran 12 hard (and slow) miles today at Lagoon Valley. Chad was out there mountain biking and we got a late start so it was pretty hot and dry in the exposed sun. Not my favorite run, but I was happy to go out for lunch at the new Five Guys Burgers with Chad afterwards. It was a treat since I have been watching my food intake :)

Here are some photos from last week's race and my run today at Lagoon Valley: