In search of old age PRs

1.5 mile warm up and cool down with 7 x 200 at East High School.  As I was running to the school, someone hit a large deer with a baby.   The baby deer ran onto the track and stayed inside the fenced area.  After about 10 minutes, the mother deer got up and walked off!

House to Sugar House Park then gym for core.

House to Liberty then gym for core work.  Run in shorts and short-sleeve shirt.  The temperature had to be above 60 degrees!

Quick run before the rain and snow.  House to Sugar House then gym for core.  My feet have been hurting the last two weeks.  It may be time to retire my Asics Nimbus.  They have about 350 miles on them.  I was hoping they would hold up better!

I did my Sunday speed workout today at East High track.  I knew I would not be able to run on Sunday so I switched my "off" day.  1.5 mile warm up and cool down with 7 x 200. 

Elizabeth and Lucas came up to the track when I finished and Elizabeth ran 4 x 200 with a 1/2 mile warm-up.  Lucas must have ran 1/2 mile too!

House through Sugar House area then gym for core.  It was snowing when I started, but stopped while I was in the gym.

Run with group in Kerns.  Indian files with 6 fast intervals.

Run in cold, windy and rainy Chicago...I guess it beats the snow.  Ran from hotel to Navy Pier along Lake Shore trail.

Run with the boss along Lake Shore in Chicago.  It was cold and windy, so I had to give him my hat!  Nice run minus the wind.

Lake Shore run in Chicago in the rain, but warm (wore shorts).

Cold and windy along Lake Shore in Chicago.  Ran past Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Solider Field.  Followed up with core.

3/26/09: Updated my overall place and divsion place.  Also, edited my time to reflect official results.

I'm not sure of my overall place or division, because it has not been posted.  I believe my time is accurate, but there was no clear finish line.  I believe I was probably top 8 with 1st or 2nd in my age group.

I heard some runners grumbling at the start that the course was longer than last year.  Apparently, it was just under 3 miles, so the race director pushed back the start line and move the turn around point closer to 11th Avenue.  This meant a longer hill at the start and longer uphill to the approximate 2 mile mark.  I was hoping to come close to a PR, but with the extended uphill and my tough week at work I knew it was going to be hard.

It was cold with a head wind at the start.  First mile climbed 195 feet.  I ran 6:17 split, already way off pace.  I was now just hoping for a good showing.

Second mile averaged out flat with the uphill to 11th then the drop to Memory Grove Park.  I ran 6:21 split and was getting easily passed.

Third mile was down Memory Grove with a 249 feet elevation loss.  I ran a 5:48, which is what I wanted the entire race.

I finished the last 0.14 at a 5:37 pace and did not feel too bad at the finish.  The course distance was true and I feel pretty good going into the Spring/Summer training.  Next week is Moab!

Hard run from House up toward Mt. Olympus (Mill Creek).  Nice hill climb of almost 1000 feet.  I was more disappointed today with my 5K race from Saturday, so I decided to punish myself on the hills.

Easy run around Liberty Park.  My legs were sore from the hill workout on Sunday and I want to be fresh for the Moab 1/2.

I took Tuesday off because my left ankle was hurting.  It was feeling better today so I did a 1 mile warm up and cool down then 3 x 1200 at the track.  I tried to work on my Moab Half pacing running at sub 6:30 pace.

Run around Liberty Park at an easy pace.

It was a nice day for a race.  I stayed in Castle Valley which is above the start of the race.  The Inn ran a shuttle to the start at 9:00 AM, so it was a leisurely morning.  I highly recommend staying above the start line before this race. 

It was unusually warm at the start, so it was going to be hot at the finish.   I did a 2 mile warm up before the race and decided to lower my goal from 1:30 to 1:25.  Below are my splits:

Mile 1: 6:17—I watched a lot of people take off and pass me.  There must have been 20 girls in front of me.  I knew the majority of the pack would have a rough time once the actual race course flattened out.

Mile 2: 6:25—Found a nice rhythm

Mile3: 6:23—Began to look for targets as I move up

Mile 4: 6:23—Passed by a shirtless guy.  I decided to follow him

Mile 5: 6:20—Stayed on the shirtless guys heals even when he surged

Mile 6: 6:17—Moving good through the aid stations.  I was making good time on people while they slowed to drink.  I kept my stride and would try to take one big sip without slowing

Mile7: 6:21—Shirtless guy is starting to slow.  I decide he is done and began to look for a new running partner

Mile 8: 6:23—I did not wear my music for this run and it was starting to pay off.  I can hear most of the runners laboring to breath, so I could find/hear a good steady runner

Mile 9: 6:17—Big hill coming up.  I skipped my plan to take GUI here.  I thought it would slow me down and my legs were feeling fresh

Mile 10: 6:30—Up the hill.  Past most of the girls I could see by now.  There would be one more out of the canyon, but I never had a chance on the other 2 female finishers

Mile 11: 6:28—Two people pass me as we run on Main Street.  I always have a hard time finishing on this section

Mile 12: 6:36—Main street is dragging on, but no more people passing me

Mile 13:6:34—Nice to see the finish line.

Mile 13.1--:39 seconds…Garmin time of 1:23:59, but not finish--came through at 1:24:16.  I was able to talk, walk, eat and run after finishing so I know I left some extra time on the course.  Overall, I’m happy with the race.  The winter maintenance program appears to have worked.  I am looking forward to the summer race.  I will leave the MP3 at home for races now.

Slow run in the snow from house to zoo with core at finish.

I ran to Highland High School for speed work, but found the track demolished.  Looks like they will have a new track this Spring.  I ran around Liberty instead then to the gym for core.

Tempo work at East High.  1.5 mile warm up and cool down with 3 x 1200 at sub 6:00 pace.

House to Liberty Park then core.  A little cold and windy today, but could still run in shorts.

Fun race and well organized.  This little High School 5K was stacked with some of Utah’s best runners.  I knew the race was offering money to the top 3, but I was surprised by the talent that turned out (Teren, Emily, Hobie, Seth 1 & 2, Mary Ann, Thatcher, Fiddy, etc…).

It was cold at the start and windy.  The wind became a tail wind at the start and it was a big aide (along with the 300 feet of elevation drop).  There were 3 little hills, but nothing major.  I warmed up with the group for about 4 miles and then it was race time.

Mile 1: 5:28.  Elevation drop of 48 feet with the largest hill/climb at the start.  I saw 51 year old George at the start and decided I would try to hang with him as long as I could.  Lots of people in front of me, but they begin to slow down about 0.75 into the race. 

Mile 2: 5:36.  Flat area before Wakara and on Foothill, but still good drops on Wakara and Sunnyside.  Elevation drop of 137 feet.  I begin to lose contact with George.  He is starting to speed up and pour it on.  I try to find a new running partner.  I was able to pass a few more people and can see one of my running buddies (Craig).  I decide to try to keep “visual” contact with him.  There are several fast women in front of me and I could watch them race.

Mile 3: 5:32.  Drop down Sunnyside then on to East High track for ¾ lap.  Elevation drop of 126 feet.  I can still see Craig, but get passed by two women who were flying.  I was actually running fast, but still getting passed.  I really need to do more speed work.

Mile 0.1: 5:30/mile pace.  This was run on the track so no elevation changes.  I was able to see Craig about 200 meters in front of me finish.  I could not muster up a kick to try and pass two close competitors.  I could see the clock on the track and saw I was way under PR, so this influenced my effort.  I was all smiles on the track. 

I finished feeling great and PR pretty easily (previous best 18:29-flat course last Fall).  It was fun to meet Mary Ann and some of the other bloggers.  Elizabeth and Lucas were at the finish to cheer me in.  We let Lucas (2 years old) run on the track after most of the runners had come in.  He loved it.   

Uphill both ways in the snow!  Well, it felt like it.  House to Huntsman Cancer center then back.

Nice warm run in Paso Robles, CA.  The hotel suggest I run on the shoulder of Hwy.43 West, but the road was busy, so I ventured off some rural side streets.  I headed north on Arbor then made a west turn on Live Oak.  The road turned to gravel with rolling hills and took me down large tracts of land with rows of grapes.  The road ended at L'Adventure Winery.  I did not see a car the entire four mile stretch.  This was a really cool run.  It made me miss California.

Long drive from Paso Robles up to Fairfield today.  Did a late run around the Green Valley area in some very nice neighborhoods.  Spring is in full swing in California.