Falmouth Road Race 2009

S0, yesterday was my 6th Falmouth Road Race, and true to form -- a mediocre year (2008) followed by a decent year (2009) -- I had a pretty good run yesterday. I covered the course in 58:06 which is a time I can live with -- it was 1:20 faster than 2008 and about 56 seconds slower than 2007 (57:10). I think that it should keep me in the blue corral/second flight next year. We'll see.

I was happy with the run because I feel like I ran a good race. I eased into the first mile and let the crowd carry me along, and I also just ran with it, not burning energy to pass. The first three miles seemed to go by very quickly and I felt good coming into the beach portion of the run. As it does through that section the sun sucked the life out of me a bit and I worked hard to mile four. Things got better at 5 but five to six was a grind and I felt my pace slacken a bit. However, once I hit 10K my legs came back a bit and I got a second wind for the final two climbs. It was not my fastest up the final steep climb, but I powered through it and took momentum over the top and had a nice kick for the last three hundred yards or so and I crossed the finish line in full stride.

The post race feeling was great, I recovered well, and have only tiniest bit of soreness right now -- I could go out and run today, and may. I'm definitely going for a swim. My goal is to always go sub-60-minutes at Falmouth and I feel good about yesterday's run. As I knew it would it's pumped me up for the rest of the summer. The weather was warm/hot, but low humidity which was a blessing. Some of the splits I remember: 17:11 for the first two miles (with a 9:09 for mile 1 I think). Five K to 10K are sort of a blur, I think I came across the 10K at 52 and closed it out the last .8 in 6 minutes or so. It was fun and it's amazing what a difference a minute can make!

I did a 10K training run on Friday, that I neglected to post about, but those two 10Ks helped immeasurably and if I'd gotten in one more I would have been even stronger.

Cape Cod Bluebird Day

As the photo above shows, yesterday was a bluebird day on Cape Cod (stealing a term from VTR). We went down to visit my in-laws before they depart for sunny Florida and I decided to sneak in a run. It was a gorgeous day and despite not being totally motivated I got out for 5+ -- how could I not?

There was a surprising amount of snow down there and roads with few year-rounders were downright treacherous, but it was relatively mild (high-20s, mid-30s) and gorgeous (see above photo). I saw a big hawk near the end of the run -- not a Red Tail, but I'm not sure what kind. I also stopped for a minute or so in the early going to watch some little ducks swimming and diving. I have no idea what kind of ducks they were as marine, riverine, estuarine birds are nearly impossible for me to ID.

My right hammy started tightening up on the run and that started to pull the back muscle above my right glute in an uncomfortable fashion. It's sort of twingy right now. What was the stretch that you guys were talking about prior to the CCM to alleviate this? My back has been bugging me for a bit, and I thought that it was injured from moving C3's seat around. That it's related to running is oddly comforting because I think it can be stretched out, and is not a lifting /weight bearing related injury.

Final Weekend of July

Friday I worked from home which meant that I moved from wi-fi spot to wi-fi spot on Cape Cod and worked for nearly 10 hours.  Good times.  On a day that had started with doing schedules and estimates at 7:30 AM and ended in a flurry of calls over the realization that a designer in the employ of my client, who was supposed to help me, had messed up much of his work, I wasn't really in the mood to go out running.

I was dehydrated and over-caffeinated but I went anyway.  The caffeine and work-day adrenaline caused me to go out hard -- too hard.  I couldn't keep up with myself.  The only thing that kept me going was that at about mile 3.5 of my planned 4 mile route I was going to veer to the beach and jump in the water which I did.  I stripped off my shirt shoes and socks and jumped in and swam for about 10 minutes.  Then I got re-dressed, stepped in the water in my shoe, and finished the run.  It was sort of fun and sort of relaxing and a good and different workout.  Open water swimming without goggles (even with) is hard.

Saturday I went out for a quick 5K.  It was super humid and tough to breathe.  Nothing major to report except that the light was beautiful and that the Bass River was gorgeous.

July 4 - 6, 2008

I had a big running weekend this past weekend which was good considering I also had a big eating weekend.  I was trying to shock my body out of its 3-4 mile lethargy that's descended upon my running.

July 4, 2008
I observed the Fourth as John Adams requested "[i]t ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports . . ." I ran the 5 K in my town and had a good time.  I started out with a couple of neighbors and finished alone.  I did it in 23:44 -- not my fasted but not my slowest either.I actually ran to the start with my neighbor, about 2 miles and then rean the race. At the end you enter the little finish chute and race organizers/officials were saying "stay in line, keep your order." This woman who finished two steps behind me cut me and the guy in front of me and said, oh hey, sorry guys, I'm not sure where I finished . . . " At the end of the little chute they were recording numbers. I'm sure it will be in the town paper, the order of finish. She cut to move up the standings. I wanted to say "hey, lady, give me a break!" Except then I would have been as much of an OCD over-competitive jerk as she was.

July 5, 2008
I headed out fro 5+ on Saturday AM. Nothing really to report, just a good old fashioned Cape Cod run with a good hard 1/2 mile kick at the end. 46:14.

July 6, 2008
While waiting out traffic I headed out for another 5+ Sunday evening. I dropped the kick at the end but still finished in 46:11. Both Saturday and Sunday I ran as much as possible on the side of the road in the grass and sand. It was cool but muggy and there was a light fog rolling in off of Nantucket Sound. It was pretty cool.
My ankle was a little sore all weekend, but nothing to keep me off the road.

Jimmy "The Squirrel" Kennedy Memorial Run for ALS

Saturday morning, 14 June, I headed to Quincy to do The Squirrel Run. It's a memorial run and fund raiser sponsored by the Angel Fund to support ALS research. It was a small, well organized race. The course was 5 miles long and fast. It wound through the Wollaston section of Quincy and had a long stretch along Wollaston Beach. The weather was hot and sunny. There was a small hill in the first mile and then the rest of the course was fairly flat. Mile 4-5 repeated a portion of the course between miles 1 and 2 and that small hill was climbed again. The run started and finished in a big park, with a small uphill to the finish line.

I had no idea how to pace this race, there were no starting area markers and I knew only one other person in the field and knew that I was going to be faster than he. I passed the first mile marker under 8, but I didn't mark a lap until the mile 2 marker. This is where I'm going to let my splits tell the story:

Miles 1-2: 15:19
Mile 3: 6:44 (22:03)
Mile 4: 8:15 (30:18)
Mile 5: 6:51 (37:09)

I came into the finish behind a relative of the guy for whom the race is run -- I ratcheted it back a bit so as not to pass him - he was a guy in his 50s, and a good runner and the crowd was going wild for him. A woman I'd passed in between 3 & 4 out kicked me at the end and beat me by a step . . . that was the only downer of the run for me but she had a nice kick and I congratulated her on her kick. It was a good time and it's got me thinking about how to run Falmouth (which I think I'm in) and what might be possible -- perhaps 52 . . .

I got a 4 mile run in on Cape Cod yesterday. I saw an elderly couple and the guy was funny, saying, "hey you're cheating, I can't do that!" I responded, "Full speed ahead." I couldn't think of anything else to say . . . it was lighthearted interaction on my trot.

CCM Relay

So the relay has been run. PR and I (mainly PR) cobbled together a team and it was a hoot. We certainly broke no land speed records but had fun despite PR's blown tire. I did the fourth (of five) leg. It covered 6 very hilly miles. I have total respect for the marathoners who tackled that giant climb at mile 20 alongside the Woods Hole Golf Course. That stretch was one of the most challenging stretches I've ever run -- lots of rollers, a couple big climbs and then the aforementioned monster at 20. That hill was savage and gave me a run for my money five miles into my leg so I can only imagine how it felt to hit it at 20 miles!

I have to say that this is one my proudest runs -- I covered the 6 hilly miles in under 48 minutes (48 minutes was my goal) and I squeaked in at 47:43. I don't know what it was but I was rolling and never really felt in trouble. I could feel myself powering over the hills and every roller got a little easier than the last. I worked on the up and relaxed on the down. I loved this run -- it was beautiful scenery and a gorgeous day. When I was done I was totally amped up and feeling the runner's high. It was awesome.

I saw VTR during his run and after his marathon finish -- I'll let him describe it -- but he looked good on the course and afterwards. Congratulations VTR, nicely done.

CC Long Run

OK, so it's Wednesday, 9/19. Phat raises a good question:

What time on Saturday, 9/22?

I checked the weather and it's supposed to be in the mid-70s on Saturday. I say let's go at 7:30 or 8:00 AM. Thoughts?

Foggy Run

Time: 32:57
Avg HR: 164
Peak HR: 178
Calories: 589
Distance: ~5?
Start Time: 6:03 AM
Training Effect: 4.7
Temp: 60
Date: 7/10/07

It was a foggy day today and therefore somewhat more interesting than the normal morning trot. I actually went out for 41 minutes but neglected to start the watch until 9 minutes in. So the data is for the recorded run. My quads were pretty tight, but I kept on trucking. My goal is to consistently run in the neighborhood of 40 - 45 minutes 2 times each week, with one or two shorter 3 milers thrown in for good measure. I figure 15 - 18 more runs before Falmouth, so I think I'm in a good position for that race.

Vacation Recap
On my 1 July post I mentioned that I wanted to do two 5 milers on the Cape. I did them. The first I did pushing Child Two, the second I did alone. The latter was a bit painful because it was after a nasty lunch that consisted of a fish sandwich (yes, fried, I was on Cape Cod for vacation!)and a cone with the kiddies. These are not optimal training foods (new running rule!), and I had to stop a couple of times because I felt like I was going to hurl. Data is below.

With Child Two
Time: 43:55
Avg HR: 154
Peak HR: 170
Calories: 690
Distance: 5
Start Time: 7:38 AM
Training Effect: 4.7
Temp: n/a
Date: 7/3/07

Solo
Time: 41:42
Avg HR: 164
Peak HR: 176
Calories: 676
Distance: 5
Start Time: 4:59 PM
Training Effect: 5.0
Temp: n/a
Date: 7/5/07

Memorial Day Weekend

Here's my log for this past weekend:

Saturday, I cross-trained with Manual Labor. I worked in the yard for a good 4 hours, edging, spreading mulch, trimming various flora and planting a bush. It was good, honest, hard labor, very sweaty and dirty. I was beat the next day.

Sunday Played lacrosse-keep-away on the beach with my nieces. It was a good thirty minutes of stop and start sprinting. I almost blew out my knee, however, when I planted my foot in the sand and my knee locked because my foot didn't move. That would have been nasty.

Monday I went running with two of my favorite people -- my kids. I threw them in the double-jogger and went out for 36:43, with an average HR of 153 and a max of 168. We covered 4.2 miles and it went very well -- no real fighting and no real demands made by my little passengers. We had a nice chat and both serenaded me the whole way. When you figure that my little ones weigh a combined 60 pounds and the stroller weighs nearly 20, and you factor in blankets, snacks and stuffed animals I was pushing around 80 pounds and that changes the workout. I have to say though, that once you get the cargo rolling you actually have to restrain the whole thing -- so, while you're pushing, you're also holding back. We ran on the shoulder at times, in sand and grass, and that really added a whole different dimension to the workout too. Despite the fact that the Cape route is pretty flat, the off-road effort made it seem like running up-hill. I'd love to go out with my kiddies every week and given that they behaved so well, I think I will try it again this weekend.

How'd the race go VTR? I'm looking forward to the post.