aztimm

I really don't know how people do this. Rain, heat, humidity...actual real weather, and that's the good stuff. Not to mention what happens between Nov and March....

Very different running in the deserts -v- the rest of the country. I can't even imagine being somewhere in the Southeast.

iapetus

I like to keep track of the critters that I see, too, dead and alive. Snakes are pretty common here, as are hawks, coyotes, deer and rabbits. Snakes always freak me out -- not because they're snakes, but because I usually don't see them until the very last moment!

In a masochistic way, I used to enjoy cycling in Houston, Texas, in the middle of the summer and working up a really good sweat. I'd usually take my ride sometime around 2:00 or 3:00pm. I joked that I would get into the shower post-ride wetter than when I got out of the shower ... only that wasn't exactly a joke.

But ever since I've lived in Colorado and California, it's almost embarrassing at how unaccustomed to rain and humidity I've become!

iapetus

And this rounds out the list of rides that I did since last I posted.

• Tuesday, June 1st - 32 miles, 1:57: San Rafael hill circuit (Lida / Chevy Chase), loops at the Rose Bowl (2/3)
• Thursday, June 3rd - 35 miles, 2:03: San Rafael hill circuit (Lida / Chevy Chase), loops at the Rose Bowl (2/4)
• Sunday, June 6th - 37 miles, ~2:57: Pasadena, California, to the Griffith Observatory and back via Chevy Chase / Glen Oaks
• Tuesday, June 8th - 35 miles, 2:03: San Rafael hill circuit (Lida / Chevy Chase), loops at the Rose Bowl (2/4)
• Thursday, June 10th - 35 miles, 2:01:San Rafael hill circuit (Lida / Chevy Chase), loops at the Rose Bowl (2/4)
• Sunday, June 13th - 20 miles, mechanical : Pasadena to Glendale, California and back via York

I didn't ride Saturday because I was in San Diego, California, for my anniversary and to see some college friends. And I didn't ride the Saturday before that because I was just feeling lazy. Sunday's mechanical was a bummer. I'd intended to climb up to the Griffith Observatory via Western Canyon Road, but got stopped short in Glendale with a flat. At least I found a new way home via York Boulevard.

AquaDyne

They say to do better in your short runs, run longer. During the last few months as I ramped up to half-marathon distance, my short runs had been a mix of intervals and shorter sprints, but I'd gotten away from a solid tempo 3-mile run. Now that I've hit that milestone, I'm ratcheting back and building on my base with shorter runs during the hot Vegas heat. Marathon training starts at the end of July.

After last Saturday's 13.1 miles, my posterior tibial tendon felt a bit sore and I gave it some rest. Tuesday morning arrived and it felt good enough to try out on a slow jog. Or what I thought was a slow jog. I was just running at an easy clip without looking at my watch. I finished 3mi in 31:33, nearly matching my 5K PR pace.

Armed with that confidence, I went out today and decided to do 3M at a faster, but still comfortable pace. I not only beat my PR, I shattered it with a 28:15 run -- 9:25 per mile! First time I have done sub-10-minutes for over a mile, and I did it in style.

magiciansampras

Two lessons (re)learned today:

1) Don't run your first interval too fast.

2) Respect the weather.

I went out this afternoon to do an interval workout where I run 2x3200 with relatively short rest in between. And I screwed it up pretty much from the beginning. Warmed up with a pace that was too fast and then ran my first interval WAY too fast. This left me with nothing in the tank for the second one. Oh, and it was hot out too; that didn't help.

I had wanted to run each 3200 at about 6:30/mile pace. It didn't exactly work out like that:

1 0:07:38 (warmup - too fast)
2 0:07:25 (warmup - too fast)
3 0:06:16 (first mile of interval - way too fast)
4 0:06:39 (feeling it)
5 0:05:10 (rest.. slow jog for 0.50 miles)
6 0:06:56 (not even close to 6:30)
7 0:06:55 (ditto)
8 0:08:09 (decent cooldown pace)
9 0:08:12 (decent cooldown pace)

So at least I got the cooldown right.

Totals: 9.02 miles, 1:07:38 total time, 7:29/mile pace

aztimm

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Hey MS--that looks like quite a challenging set!

Where do you come up with your target pace for the fast 2 miles (I'm assuming 3.2km is about 2 miles)? Were you on a track?

That looks very much like a set we'd do at swim workout. But there's coaches and other seimmers to pace off of.

I know I need to do sets like this, just wonder what kind of pace to target, for warmup, main set, easy, and warmdown. I could probably use the canal near my house, it is almost exactly a mile between the two main streets. I may get sick of seeing the same things over and over though. Funny, I rarely just get in a pool and swim endless laps, but when I run I just get out and go.

AquaDyne

Heh. Your cool down pace is faster than my fast pace!

As for me, I set out to do 6 miles today, titling my Runmeter route "Go West Young Man" as I went off to explore westward (I've run every other direction from my house). And my pioneering spirit was rewarded! Although I live within a mile of a state park, it's all fenced in with "no trespassing" signs. But it turns out there are a couple of cleverly hidden entrances posted for horseback and hiking trails. I figured my running shoes were close enough to hiking boots to go through and enjoy a little off-road jogging and lots of little hills.

Of course, the hills (and 85 degree weather) took a toll on my legs and I ended up quitting a little early, but still overall pleased with my new find.

Route: Go West Young Man
Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/a4Psgn
Started: Jun 19, 2010 7:47:12 AM
Run Time: 1:00:39
Distance: 5.27 miles
Average: 11:31 /mile

aztimm

I did something unusual for my gym treadmill warm-up last night. Just wanted to see how fast I could go for 1-minute....and tried the following:


Treadmill: 15:00, 202.2 cal, 1.8 mile, avg 7.2 mph
2 min warmup right into a min at each: 6.2, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 8.2, 8.5, 8.7, 9.0, 9.2, and 9.5 mph (a 6:18 pace!), then a gradual backdown with 10 sec at 9.0, 8.5, 8, 7.5, 7, 6.5 then an easy min walk .... Very tough!


I was rather surprised I could hold those for a minute, without a slower pace in between. The overall distance isn't any great shakes (less than 2 miles), but I was drenched after I was done, and certainly warmed up for weights.


And I finally got around to registering for the 2010 Steamtown Marathon. I was registered last year, but about a week after I registered I badly sprained my ankle and wasn't able to do it. They defer registration for 1 year, so it wasn't any extra cost. Now to just stay injury-free.

magiciansampras

Today: 8x800 Speedwork

It's been awhile since I did 800s outside and boy it showed! Granted it was hot (84F, 60% humidity) and I had my Garmin set to intervals so I didn't know how fast I was running each one (I probably would have pushed harder in a couple if I knew I was running that slowly). Nevertheless, I have some work to do! Wanted to run each one in 3:00-3:05 or so and then have 2:00 rest in between intervals. Wasn't that successful. Did have a lovely track to run on though.

1 0:16:07 (warmup, 8:00 pace)
2 0:03:03 (not bad)
3 0:02:00
4 0:03:06 (not bad)
5 0:02:00
6 0:03:07 (not bad)
7 0:02:00
8 0:03:12 (oops)
9 0:02:00
10 0:03:19 (yikes)
11 0:02:00
12 0:03:16 (oops again)
13 0:02:00
14 0:03:14 (tired)
15 0:02:00
16 0:03:16 (it's hot!)
17 0:02:00
18 0:01:45 (cooldown, 8:00 pace)

Totals: 7.90 miles, 59:31 total time, 7:32/mile average pace.


Yesterday: Recovery run on treadmill (3 miles @ 8:00 pace)

magiciansampras

Sunday's run: 15 miler treadmill (7:55/mile pace)

iapetus

My rides from last week are below. I've got to stop skipping Saturdays!

• Tuesday, June 15th - 38 miles, 2:10: San Rafael hill circuit (Lida / Chevy Chase), loops at the Rose Bowl (2/5)
• Thursday, June 17th - 35 miles, 2:01: San Rafael hill circuit (Lida / Chevy Chase), loops at the Rose Bowl (2/4)
• Sunday, June 20th - 46 miles, 3:22: Pasadena, California, (Inverness) to the Griffith Observatory (Western Canyon Road) and back via York

I'm about to leave for this evening's ride. I've been noticing a lot of tightness in my hamstrings towards the end of my rides lately. Both of them cramped up on me simultaneously a few weeks ago. I'll be sure to stretch before I leave today. Does anyone have any suggestions other than stretching? (I guess hydrating is good, too.)

Fifteen miles on a treadmill?!!!? How can you do that?

magiciansampras

The key is to find something good on tv to watch, preferably sports. During the football season I have been known to do 20 mile runs on the treadmill and will watch an entire NFL game while doing it. The problem is halftime.

dhuey

I've been upping the intensity of my one-hour trail runs in the Berkeley hills in early preparation for the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7th. Long runs are just a couple of weeks away.

AquaDyne

The conference that I'm attending this week had a 5K associated with it so I signed up to run. Of course, the evil race director picked a course with a lovely hill on it...200ft gain over a half mile at the start. The good news was that we got it all back as a downhill at the end of the race.

Personal best 29:38.2! Splits were 10:03 for mile 1 (uphill) and 10:12 on the second mile.

aztimm

Ok, you all have inspired me to try something different. Today I decided I would do some speed/tempo work. The goal--

2 mile warm-up

four rounds of--
1/2 mile fast
1/2 mile easy

around 2 mile warm-down, possibly a sprinty finish.

I've tried this before and gave up fairly early on. I did 2 loops along the canal between 2 roads (Chandler Blvd and Ray Rd if anyone cares). Instead of concentrating strictly on distance, I more used the songs that came up on my iPhone to go off of.

It certainly wasn't easy; the first wasn't bad. The second I didn't take a long enough rest before. I nearly just bagged 3 and 4 and headed home...but I stuck with it. 3 was rather painful. And 4...well I just gave what I had left, knowing I'd still have 1-1/2 mile jog home.

Here's how it all worked out on my Garmin--
Time: 01:02:23
Distance: 7.57 mi
Elevation Gain: 7 ft
Calories: 1,013 C
Avg Pace: 08:14 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace: 08:14 min/mi
Best Pace: 06:24 min/mi
Link to Garmin Connect

If you click on that link, on the main screen, if you look at Timing, just below the map, you can see a couple of blips. What is more important (in my opinion at least), is further down, the Heart Rate graph, where you can clearly see the periods I pushed things a bit. If you go to the Player screen, you can step through and clearly see that I at least put forth an effort.

I just hate doing things like this. Painful, unpleasant, etc...but I know it is good for me, so I'll trudge on.


I have an appt with the AZ Foot, Leg, and Ankle clinic later today. Have several mostly chronic issues I want them to take a look at. But mostly, I'd like to see if things are well enough before I press forward with serious marathon training. While I'd like to do it, I don't want to cause any serious damage along the way.