Mon: Tempo: 6 miles: Dedicated Parkway 6 Miler: Just taking it kinda easy and going through the motions today. No week-to-week improvement for this one. My last run was race pace at the EYL on Saturday, so following it up with a high intensity tempo wasn't really something I was eager to do. I was still towards the high end of my historical paces for this route, but I was mostly just enjoying running in the snow flurries.
Wed: Intervals: 8 miles: 8 Miles of Burnt Bridges: Added 2 miles to the interval routine this week . Target paces were the same as last week with 6's and 8's. First 2 sprints were the fastest of this training cycle with the first downhill sprint exceeding the target 6 min/mile pace. I paid for it later on though as my last 2 uphill sprints and uphill recoveries missed their targets. Good workout, but of 16 target paces, 1 exceeded the mark, 11 were on the mark, and 4 failed to hit.
Thurs: Recovery: 4 miles: Stewarts Knob Trail: Ranger Style: Keeping in mind that it was a low intensity/high duration day, I was still a bit annoyed to see the pace in the low 10 min/mile range. This was a 10 mile/4 mile/10 mile brick and I expect the first mile off the bike to be a little slower, but I never came by any extra energy for the whole run and I wasn't willing to use any extra effort to pick up the pace because that would negate the effect of having a low intensity day in the first place. I was consistent though with an even pace for the whole run, so that counts as a positive.
Sat: Long: 10 miles: Mountain Side 10 Miler: Today was a 10-10-10 brick. I did the first 10 on my fat tire hybrid, dropped the bike off at my house, walked back to the parkway, ran the 2nd 10 from mile post 105 to 100 and back, then walked back to the house, grabbed my road bike and did the same route I had done earlier on my hybrid. The run was excellent! Managing an 8:01 pace for the route exceeded my expectation. This was also my first double digit run since the Richmond Marathon back in Nov.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Training for Blue Ridge: Week 3
Mon: Tempo: 6 Miles: Dedicated Parkway 6 Miler: Hit some real good numbers out there today. My downhills are still a little weak, but my uphills are in great shape at this distance. Knocking the first 3 miles out at sub 7 paces is encouraging going into this weekends first warm up race, the Explore Your Limits 5k. I wasn't far behind my course record for this route either, a 41:47 set on Aug 16th 2011. Also, I did this route about a year ago on Feb 23 2011 with a 44:54, so that may be a clue that I'm in better shape now than I was in at this time last year. Here is the Today-vs-course record-vs-1 year ago Garmin stats.
Wed: Intervals: 6 Miles: Treadmill Intervals: Resorted to the treadmill again due to sporadic rain and a scheduled swim. Did 1/2 mile Intervals alternating between 7.5 mph and 9.0 mph. That would be an 8 min/mile and a 6:40 min/mile.) I don't usually enjoy treadmill running at distances greater than 4 miles, but it was great to listen some good hard hitting tunes and just kinda let things run on auto pilot.
Thurs: Recovery: 8 miles: Parkway/Stewarts Knob 8 Miler: Just kept it comfortable today. I was disappointed to see some miles take over 10 minutes, but I was unwilling to push the pace at all. Saturday is my first warm-up race for this training cycle, so I just wanted to get my long run miles in, but run them with a recovery pace. The whole brick was a 10 mile bike-8.1 mile run-7.75 mile bike.
Sat: Race: 3.1 miles: Explore Your Limits 5k: The numbers look good. I continued my year over year inprovement with a 22:06 and finished 3rd overall from a field of 205. Click HERE for full race report.
Wed: Intervals: 6 Miles: Treadmill Intervals: Resorted to the treadmill again due to sporadic rain and a scheduled swim. Did 1/2 mile Intervals alternating between 7.5 mph and 9.0 mph. That would be an 8 min/mile and a 6:40 min/mile.) I don't usually enjoy treadmill running at distances greater than 4 miles, but it was great to listen some good hard hitting tunes and just kinda let things run on auto pilot.
Thurs: Recovery: 8 miles: Parkway/Stewarts Knob 8 Miler: Just kept it comfortable today. I was disappointed to see some miles take over 10 minutes, but I was unwilling to push the pace at all. Saturday is my first warm-up race for this training cycle, so I just wanted to get my long run miles in, but run them with a recovery pace. The whole brick was a 10 mile bike-8.1 mile run-7.75 mile bike.
Sat: Race: 3.1 miles: Explore Your Limits 5k: The numbers look good. I continued my year over year inprovement with a 22:06 and finished 3rd overall from a field of 205. Click HERE for full race report.
2012 Explore Your Limits 5k / RNUTS 2 of 6
Foreword
Written in advance of the event
Training has been solid. Recent statistics compared to year ago statistics seemed to suggest a good shot at a PR. Three weeks into training for the next half marathon and already the quickening was working its magic. Now is the chance to prove it.
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| Existing EYL 5k hardware. |
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| Elevation Profile for the 2011 EYL 5k |
My ongoing competition with myself at these events is a huge motivator as I seek to delay the inevitable lifetime peak when PR's are no longer possible except in a more modest capacity, such as limiting the historical data to only looking at performance in recent years. But there is something bigger than data, awards, and fitness levels going on at the competitions that I participate in and with the Mountain Junkie events in particular. For many, and especially us regulars, these are family and friend social activities. My 10 yr old daughter, Faith, will be hiking this course with my wife, Denise. I hope Faith will find her "wind", like my son, Chris, once did, but I'm just happy that she is looking forward to participating as a hiker/walker. After I finish running the event, I'll grab some food and go back and walk them to the finish!
The Event
Written after the race
Written after the race
Excellent day for a race! Having spent all week looking at weather forecasters predicting a significant likelyhood of rain during the EYL 5k, it turned out that the rain stopped early and the event was held under cloudy skies and with wet trails but no rain. I'm no fan of running in the rain, but I had resolved myself to do it, if that was what the day gave me.
Denise had awoken early to help out as a volunteer, so after we arrived we went to find her at the race check in. Denise and Faith were walking the event as the sweepers, whose job it is to come in last and make sure that no runner is left behind injured.
At 8:45 or so the race director, Josh Gilbert, began the pre-race announcements and explained that the 5k course would be slightly different from last year. Changing the course meant that my year-over-year course comparisons would be slightly skewed, but since the bulk of the course was the same I accept the variance as virtually insignificant.
There was some confusion about where the start line was, but everybody got in place with minutes to spare prior to race start. There was approximately 200-250 of us and I tried to get close to the start. At my past few races I had stayed back a few yards from the front and found that I struggled in heavy congestion. Today was better. I found the inside corner and was able to avoid almost all the initial tangle.
I established 3rd place about 1/10th of a mile into the race and held it for the whole race. The first mile was mostly asphalt. The 2nd mile was mostly trail and it was quite slick in spots. I never did fall, but I was slowed down in several areas. The 10k runners started 10 minutes prior to us 5k'ers so the slick spots were made worse due to 200+ people having already trampled the path. The 3rd mile was mostly well packed gravel with some more asphalt towards the latter parts of the course.
Except for compensating for the slick mud, and having to dig deep to get up the steep hills in the final mile of the course, the race itself was almost like a blur. I was heavily focused on breathing, running form, and footing. Garmin data, which is notoriously less accurate on trails, suggests that I hit the first mile under 7 minutes, the 2nd mile at around 7 1/2 and the 3rd mile around 8. As I was coming up the steep hill (nicknamed Vomit Hill) a strong runner passed me, so I thought I had fallen back to forth place. The passing runner pulled away by as much as 100' during the last 1/2 mile, but at the top of the hill he seemed to slow. I thought I could catch him before the finish. I turned on all the gas I had, but as we approached the finish chute he just continued on to the 10k course, so 3rd overall was mine. I looked at the clock. 22:06. 3rd was mine and with a PR time to boot! Happy day in race land!
Finished with my race, but not yet finished with the course, I quickly set out to find my wife and daughter. I walked back until I found them at around the midway point. We had a nice conversation and joked and played a little bit, but I was struck by some of the scenery now that I was getting a chance to appreciate it at a walking pace. Having ran by it so quickly just an hour earlier I literally felt like I was seeing it for the first time!
I walked Denise and Faith to the finish and then we went to enjoy the food spread that the Mountain Junkies had laid out for us. I had a bagel, pumpkin bread, an assortment of raw veggies, and a trail mix. Good stuff!
Shortly after, the awards ceremony started and I was thrilled to receive the award for 3rd place. My 2nd top 3 finish ever!
Final Results: 2012-time 22:06.82, pace: 7:08/M, Place 3/205 overall, 1/13 in my age group, 3/96 among men. Also see GARMIN DATA
Denise had awoken early to help out as a volunteer, so after we arrived we went to find her at the race check in. Denise and Faith were walking the event as the sweepers, whose job it is to come in last and make sure that no runner is left behind injured.
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| Denise doing some pre-event volunteer work |
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At 8:45 or so the race director, Josh Gilbert, began the pre-race announcements and explained that the 5k course would be slightly different from last year. Changing the course meant that my year-over-year course comparisons would be slightly skewed, but since the bulk of the course was the same I accept the variance as virtually insignificant.
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| Parkway = home turf! Well over half my training is on or near the Blue Ridge Parkway. |
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| C&C running group. The small one is Craig Thornton. Awesome fast kid! Worthy of his "Little Pre" nickname! |
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| I wanna be this guy when I grow up! 70+ yrs old and running trails and doing triathlons like a champion! |
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| Faith, just prior to race start. |
I established 3rd place about 1/10th of a mile into the race and held it for the whole race. The first mile was mostly asphalt. The 2nd mile was mostly trail and it was quite slick in spots. I never did fall, but I was slowed down in several areas. The 10k runners started 10 minutes prior to us 5k'ers so the slick spots were made worse due to 200+ people having already trampled the path. The 3rd mile was mostly well packed gravel with some more asphalt towards the latter parts of the course.
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| (Event photo courtesy of John Wimmer Photography) |
Except for compensating for the slick mud, and having to dig deep to get up the steep hills in the final mile of the course, the race itself was almost like a blur. I was heavily focused on breathing, running form, and footing. Garmin data, which is notoriously less accurate on trails, suggests that I hit the first mile under 7 minutes, the 2nd mile at around 7 1/2 and the 3rd mile around 8. As I was coming up the steep hill (nicknamed Vomit Hill) a strong runner passed me, so I thought I had fallen back to forth place. The passing runner pulled away by as much as 100' during the last 1/2 mile, but at the top of the hill he seemed to slow. I thought I could catch him before the finish. I turned on all the gas I had, but as we approached the finish chute he just continued on to the 10k course, so 3rd overall was mine. I looked at the clock. 22:06. 3rd was mine and with a PR time to boot! Happy day in race land!
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| Full ON sprint mode as I cross the line. Getting passed in the chute is going to happen from time to time, but I do my part to make sure its not easy for somebody tryin' to do it to me! |
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| Roanoke River. Swollen from recent rains. |
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| Yeah, you might say I kicked up some mud while I was out there today! |
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| (Event photo courtesy of John Wimmer Photography) |
I walked Denise and Faith to the finish and then we went to enjoy the food spread that the Mountain Junkies had laid out for us. I had a bagel, pumpkin bread, an assortment of raw veggies, and a trail mix. Good stuff!
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| Faithy, finishing strong! |
Shortly after, the awards ceremony started and I was thrilled to receive the award for 3rd place. My 2nd top 3 finish ever!
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| New Hardware! |
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