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Thursday, December 1st, 2011
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8:15 am - Catchup
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Lots of gaps to fill in, but not this morning. One more marathon under my belt, and a Double Dipsea...
For now, though, let's just say I'm feeling on the upswing again after some mild plantar fasciitis and I'm hoping the dry weather lasts a bit longer this winter to let me get some dry runs in.
current mood: awake
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| Monday, May 16th, 2011
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7:30 am - Not a Race Report
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Just some random facts about the Bay to Breakers yesterday:
My Garmin died a mile and a half in, so I didn't have all the splits I would have liked. Comparing last year's run to this year's, however, was interesting to me.
I made it to the top of the Hayes Street Hill 18 seconds faster this year -- 19:55 vs. 20:13. The rest of the run took a lot longer -- 34:33 vs. 33:10. I was closer to the front this year, and with the staggered starts we had fewer people to dodge. On the other hand, my training hasn't been what I would have liked, and it's not surprising my stamina wasn't there.
I also don't have my heart rate info because my Garmin ran out of battery. Running without that feedback meant I had to listen to my body instead of watch the numbers. I think in this case I might have been able to push it a little harder if I'd known my splits coming off the hill and realized I had a chance at coming in very close to last year's time.
I need to break 51:00 for a 12K to qualify for sub-seeded. If we end up doing the caterpillar next year, then I won't get a chance to PR for a while. I really hope this summer I can get some good solid mileage in -- with the extra teaching this year I'm just scraping by.
current mood:  sore
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| Monday, January 3rd, 2011
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11:54 am - Running Update: 2010!
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I know, I haven't posted since the Dipsea Race. Here's what you missed:
Golden Hills Trail Marathon 10/9/10: 26.2 miles (25.62 by the Garmin), 5:11:59, average pulse 164, 3164 calories. A daunting 7700 feet of up and 8000 down. This race was my "I'm just going to run it and not worry about a time" race. Mission accomplished.
US Half Marathon 11/7/10: 13.1 miles (13.22 by my Garmin!), 1:42:37 for a PR, 1759 calories, and a HR monitor that crapped out during the last 4 miles.
Total stats for the year: 200 runs, 1370.05 miles, average pulse 156, and almost 180K calories. Average pace 8:57. I made my marathon-a-week goal (even including the extra 1/7 of a week in a year!) and I'm deliberately not setting one for this year. We'll see how I feel.
Best month? April (151 miles!). Worst month? February (73). Fastest month? February (8:31 min/mile including the KP Half). Slowest? October (10:01 min/mi including the trail marathon, 9:20 without).
Upcoming races? Oakland Marathon in March, Roller Coaster 5K in April, the 100th Bay to Breakers in May. After that, we'll see. I would love to set PRs in 2011 for:
the marathon (have to break 3:57:55)
Roller Coaster (21:24)
B2B (53:22)
5K (20:18)
The Mother's Day 5K has been good to me, but I think this year I need to skip it. St. Patrick's Day 5K is March 13 and also a flat, fast course.... and it's the week I get back from San Diego...
current mood:  calm
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| Sunday, June 13th, 2010
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10:11 pm - 100th Dipsea Race Report
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OK, it went very badly for me. But I'm kind of all right with it. I'm not injured, life is still good, and I am going to take June to get back to running for fun rather than to put pressure on myself for PRs and the like.
The quick and dirty details: 6.8 miles (yay for shortcuts!), 1:26:27, 643rd place.
( The gory details...Collapse )
I truly am not beating myself up about it. It was a rough day, and I know I wasn't setting myself up for success. But it's certainly not the end of the world, and other than a toenail that's bruised and a sore calf, I made it through in one piece. Back to running for the joy of running! My dog will certainly be happier that I can take him out a lot in June, that's for sure.
current mood: resigned
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| Saturday, June 12th, 2010
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10:08 pm - If I write it down...
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It will happen. Positive thinking.
I will run this year's Dipsea Race faster than last year's. To that end:
Last year I made it to the top of Windy Gap in 14:10. Across the creek in 21:01. Top of Cardiac in 49:18.
I averaged 8:00s on the downhills. 13:05s on the uphills.
My average heartrate was 182.
This year I will make Windy Gap in under 14. Across the creek in 20. Top of Cardiac in 47. Which should get me to Stinson in the 1:09 I think I need.
I will run alongside the stairs on the downhills when I have the option. I will skip stairs on the downhills when I can.
I will take one hundred steps after I finish the Steps and Dynamite and Cardiac and Insult before I think about whether I need to catch my breath.
I will relax on the downhills and get my body over my center of gravity. I will think about Luis' tips regarding EASE.
The heat will hurt others more than it hurts me. I will do this.
Race report tomorrow.
current mood:  nervous
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| Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
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7:34 am - Lyon St. Steps
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Bottom of hill (Green and Lyon) to top of steps: 2:01.
Top of steps to Jackson (top of hill): :56.
Knocked thirty seconds off my time from last summer, and one point off the max heartrate for the same run. Next time I do the steps I'm walking, but skipping steps and seeing how fast THAT goes.
current mood: pleased
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| Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
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9:08 pm - Evidence
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I ran 13.5 miles today, and my half-marathon split was exactly the kind of validation I was thinking about.
Today's run: 13.5 miles, 1:52:05, average pulse 157, 1792 calories.
Altitude change: +1013, -1023 feet.
Half-marathon split: 1:49:02.
Compare it to these halves I ran:
KP Half 2010: 1:47:22, average pulse 172, +360, -561 feet. Today's run twice as hilly, 100 seconds slower, average pulse 15 bpm less.
Rock'N'Roll 2007: 1:58:32, average pulse around 170, essentially flat.
Training run June 2008: 13.1 miles, 1:56:31, average pulse 158, +1246, -997. Less flat to work with, but much slower at the same pulse.
No taper today, one drink of water at the halfway point. And I did 45 miles last week.
I'm at 21.5 miles this week, plus I'm doing 13 on Thursday. So with 7.5 tomorrow, I just have one 8-miler to go to hit 50. That's the trick. 50 isn't so bad if you can do 2 runs of more than 10.
current mood: proud
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| Saturday, April 17th, 2010
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9:16 pm - Increasing the Miles
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I made it to 45 this week. Next week I'm trying to do 50. I've never done more than 46 in a week. I try to believe that I'm making significant progress, but sometimes during the runs I doubt. "Why doesn't it feel easier, if I'm putting in all this work?" I have to come back and look at my wonky data to convince myself.
Easter Roller Coaster 5K 2008: 23:40, average pulse: 174.
Easter Roller Coaster 5K 2009: 22:07, average pulse: 173.
Easter Roller Coaster 5K 2010: 21:24, average pulse: 174.
Bay to Breakers 2008: 1:02:39
Bay to Breakers 2009: 57:43
Walt Stack 10K 2008: 47:24, average pulse: 174.
Walt Stack 10K 2009: 44:37: average pulse: 174.
KP Half Marathon 2007: 2:14:54, average pulse: 159.
KP Half Marathon 2008: 1:55:32, average pulse: 169.
KP Half Marathon 2009: 1:43:09, average pulse: 170.
KP Half Marathon 2010 (head cold): 1:47:22, average pulse: 172.
I know I can run longer than I used to -- and it's easier -- but I want to be LOTS better than I am now. And it will take time.
current mood:  thoughtful
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| Sunday, April 11th, 2010
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7:53 pm - Next chances for Course Records...
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Beating the women's course records, of course -- men's are way out of my league:
April 25 is Coastal Trail Challenge 10K.
May 2 is Stern Grove 4M.
July 18 is Daly City Scenic Run 5K (and 12K).
September 26 is Oyster Point 5M.
October 17 is Rockaway Beach 5K.
December 5 is Ferry Building 4M.
Here's hoping my rehearsal schedule lets me run as much as I want to!
current mood: hopeful
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7:41 pm - Strawberry Hill 5K
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3.06 miles.
21:45.
399 calories.
Average pulse: 175.
I feel like I ran this one about as smart as I could. I didn't go out too hard, and ran it with negative splits(7:14, 7:07, 6:35, 5:40), which given the giant hill in the middle isn't a big surprise. I finished in front of many of the "wily veterans" of the DSE, and would have broken the women's course record by over a minute if a woman hadn't finished 6th today and set a new record by over three minutes.
I think i'm proudest of my last 1.1 miles. Even after the big hill (145 feet above our starting line) I still had enough to run a 6:16 for over a mile. Yes, it was a little downhill. But I proved to myself yet again that I can charge up hills faster than most people. Let's hear it for all the vertical I've been doing lately!
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| Sunday, April 4th, 2010
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5:12 pm - Beating Course Records
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Well, I don't think I ever have a chance at beating a men's course record for any of the DSE races. All of them involve running under six-minute miles for the whole race, and I just don't see that happening. The women's course records, though, in some cases are reachable. To wit: last week I beat the (women's) course record on the Golden Gate Bridge Vista 10K. So here's my list of potentials:
Ballpark 5K: record 19:41, my PR 20:32 for a flat course.
Bay Trail 4M: record 29:36, I ran 27:42! Let's hear it for new courses that very few women have run yet!
Coastal Trail Challenge 10K: record 49:06, I ran 46:19 on a hilly course last week.
Daly City Scenic 5K: record 21:36, I just ran 21:24 on a hilly course today.
Ferry Building 4M: record 26:24, I did 4.5M in 29:54 which would work out to 26:31 for 4M
GG Bridge Vista 10K: record 46:36, my time 46:19.
Oyster Point 5M: record 35:23, my time for 4.5M 29:54.
Rockaway Beach 5K: record 21:52, my time 20:32 on the flat.
Roller Coaster 5K: new record 20:56, my time 21:24.
Stern Grove 4M: record 28:27, my time 26:31 4M equivalent taking my Lake Merced time.
Strawberry Hill 5K: record 22:20, my time 21:24 on a hilly 5K.
Strawberry Hill is next weekend.
current mood:  crazy
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4:40 pm - Gwen's PR
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Gwen dropped her time in a half-mile race from 10:37 to 9:20. Way to go!
current mood: amused
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1:57 pm - Easter Roller Coaster 5K
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21:24
3.06 miles.
297 calories.
Average pulse: 173.
The rain held off until this afternoon. Gwen did her race in 9:20 (.5 miles) and we all had fun!
PR by 43 seconds. I did not beat the first woman across -- she finished 16 and I was 17, I believe. I think that means she set a new course record.
current mood: cold
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| Sunday, March 21st, 2010
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6:07 pm - I Love Spring
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I'm hoping that the dedicated work I've done since late January is finally paying off. Yesterday and today have felt like the runs I was hoping I'd be having by now...
Yesterday: 8.17 miles, 1:10:30, 1080 calories, average pulse 154.
Today: 5.38 miles, 44:04, 726 calories, average pulse 155.
Being able to pull 8:30 miles and not get my pulse above 160 feels really, really good and sustainable. And I've been really good about building my mileage slowly since January 24. This week I try to get to 33, but it's going to take running EARLY one morning, I'm afraid. Just not enough time in the day otherwise.
And at this rate I'll hit 50-mile weeks just about Shakespeare's birthday, which will be my first week of rehearsals for Best of PlayGround. Heh. We will have to see.
But for now I'm happy. Hoping for even more improvement in April...
current mood:  energetic
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| Monday, January 4th, 2010
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9:00 pm - Lake Merced 4.5M
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New PR for this course, over 2 minutes faster than last year! I maybe went out a little fast, since more people passed me than I passed, and I would have set a new 5K PR if I'd stopped at 3.1 miles...
4.5 miles, 29:54, 574 calories, average pulse 177. Average pace 6:42/mile.
At 5K I was right at 20:20, which is 22 seconds faster than my previous PR. It is a net downhill there, but not exactly flat, so I don't think the elevation helped that much. I'm hoping to get down to sub-20 in the spring; that would be a huge milestone passed. It might be time to hit my old cross-country course when that happens.
I managed to hold off one runner in the last half-mile, so that felt good. I took today off since my calves are tight and sore, and my last day off was New Year's Day. Tomorrow I hope for a long run in San Mateo.
current mood: energetic
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| Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
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11:54 am - Slowdown commencing... now.
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So after much soul-searching and asking of people more learned than I, I've come to the decision that I'm running too hard most of the time. If I really want to get better, I need to slow down on the whole and save the quick stuff for actual anaerobic workouts. Like races, given my schedule. Theoretically this plan will allow me to increase my mileage without injury and improve my aerobic base so that I can get faster across all the distances I run. It should also fix my drop-off problem, which briefly stated says that my 5K PR would predict a better 10K PR than I currently have, and my 10K PR would predict a better half-marathon PR...
So I ran today, easily, keeping my heartrate down below 150. And it didn't feel awful.
49:44, 5.35 miles, 690 calories, average pulse 141. Average pace 9:18/mile.
The 9-minute mile has been my benchmark for a long time now; given no hills, I feel like I'm going slowly if I don't break 9s. I will accept that running this way will help me, and I will not get down on myself.
And if in a month I can get down under 9s and still keep my heartrate under 150, then I will smile contently.
current mood: pensive
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| Sunday, December 20th, 2009
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10:54 am - Quick Update
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Miracle Mile and Christmas Classic 5K today!
I ran to the registration from our house, then walked and ran back the mile to the start of the Miracle Mile. Ran the Miracle Mile, met up with the family and then ran the Christmas Classic with my friend David! Busy day.
Warm-up: 3.3 miles, 29:57, average pulse 150, 428 calories.
Miracle Mile: 1 mile, roughly 5:19, average pulse 173, 120 calories.
Christmas Classic: 3.14 miles (hm...), roughly 23:10, average pulse 173 (hm...), 407 calories. EDIT: 23:17 according to the YouTube video here. /EDIT
More details after the results come back and I can be more specific.
current mood:  curious
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| Sunday, December 13th, 2009
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9:09 pm - Good Running Day!
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I was just over my PR for the 5K that I ran today, and my daughter and I ran her first race!
My 5K:
3.05 miles.
20:49.
Average pulse: 180.
Calories: 391.
Gwen's Run:
.61 miles.
10:47.
Pace: 17'41 per mile.
One of my goals for 2010 is to break 20 minutes for a 5K. I need to do more speed work to make it happen, but I think it's doable. Soon I'll know what's going on theatre-wise so I can plan around my bigger races (KP Half Marathon, Dipsea Race, maybe the Oakland Marathon?) and get speedier.
current mood: amazed
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| Sunday, November 29th, 2009
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4:14 pm - Gwen's First 10K
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I ran the Run Wild for a Child 10K with Gwen in the jogging stroller this morning. And all in all it went pretty well!
6.2 miles.
48:36 chip time.
49:20 clock time.
782 calories.
Average heartrate: 177.
I'm guessing on the heartrate because even with all my gadgets I didn't hit the right buttons at the right time to be able to tell. I ran to the start of the race (1.8 miles) and didn't hit LAP at the end, just stopped the timer. So now I can't separate the warm-up from the race. Arrgh.
But all in all it was a good race with the jogging stroller. So frustrating having to start in the back and have a slow start!
Last year I ran this course in 46:00, which was a PR at the time. I definitely think I could have taken close to a minute off without having to weave through slower runners at the beginning.
Age-graded out this race was a 57.6% for me. I finished 132nd among the men, and 168th overall out of 867.
Jocelyn finished the 5K in 42:29 which was much better than last year's time of 52:01. Dad finished the 10K in 1:09:15 which age-grades out to a 51.3%!
current mood:  groggy
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| Sunday, August 16th, 2009
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1:35 pm - OK, OK, OK, getting there
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I went down to Road Runners in San Carlos and had my gait analyzed. So now I'm in shoes that will help control the pronation and arch supports that make my feet feel good after the run today. The blister on my third toe is probably a result of rolling through my foot in a straighter path, and the callus on the inside of my big toe shouldn't be as dramatic?
Week of July 19: 11.25 miles.
Week of July 26: 15.05 miles.
Week of August 2: 36.91 miles.
Week of August 9: 28.7 miles.
Aiming for 30 a week seems much more sane for right now. And doable.
The Walt Stack 10K this morning:
6.24 miles, 44:38, average pulse: 174, 809 calories.
New PR for the 10K, and it even had the same hill twice so it's not flat, either! Last year I ran it in 47:24, so I feel good about my progress over the year. I averaged 7:09 miles, and I would love (by the end of the year maybe) to drop that down to sub-sevens for a 10K. I can do it for the 5K, but I don't have the legs to keep it up for the push in the second half. I did manage to pull my last two splits down below my mile 5 split, which might have had something to do with the headwind for most of miles 4 and 5.
In other news, my bosses keep scheduling additional meetings and obligations when I am otherwise engaged. The jigsaw puzzle that is my schedule has little room for additions at this point... I have to hope that they will understand, because I have no wiggle room for the next month.
current mood:  irritated
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