Land Park 5

• Distance: 5
• Time: 38:55
• Pace: 7:47

I know I sound like a whiner, but it's still warm in Sac! The mercury tickled 64 degrees this morning before the sun came up! Note: all of my temperature readings come courtesy of the new changeable message sign in front of Sacramento City College...and we all know how reliable those temp readings are: not so much. 

The good news: I didn't feel any residual fatigue from the long run on Saturday. This means either the I didn't run hard enough, or I'm getting used to running long again. It's probably a little of both. 

The bad news: my desired marathon pace of 7:37/mile still feels "fast." I want 7:37 to feel like a recovery pace, but it still feels like I'm pushing it. I think the only choice I have is to begin including some speed workouts...groan!!! Of course, I have NO idea how that's going to happen. 

In other news, Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia smashed his marathon world record by 27 seconds Sunday, winning the Berlin Marathon in 2:03:59. Gebrselassie, 35, became the first man to win at Berlin for the third time. Let's do the math: Gebrselassie  averaged 4:44/mile for 26.2 miles. Am I the only person floored by that?!?!?! Suddenly, 7:37/mile doesn't seem like such a big deal.

Saturday 16 - Not the Most Elegant Run I've Logged

The Hamster barely eeked out 16 with some new and familiar faces today. Before I get into the nitty gritty of the run, I want to thank Mike, Carlos, Cameron, and Strada for joining me on the trail. Mike's a stalwart of the Saturday runs, but Carlos, Cameron, and Strada are all new to the fray. I was introduced to Carlos through Abby, he's a marathon veteran whose resume includes the Paris and Chicago marathons. Nice. Cameron is Carlos' long-time running partner and Strada is Carlos' neighbor...got it? Anyhow, I was glad to get the opportunity to run with them and I hope they can make many more Saturday runs to come!

The Crew

We kicked off about 7:20 and headed to the 6.5 mile mark. Strada is recovering from a flu so she and Cameron held back just a little while Carlos and I set out at about 7:40 per mile pace (a little fast). Carlos and I spent most of the rest of the run getting acquainted. Carlos ran without a water bottle (which amazes me) and has a springy, efficient stride; juxtaposed with my lumbering, labored stride, we must have made an interesting sight. :-) We stopped at mile 7 to make sure the potties at Arden Ponds were in working order...they were, and then, after a brief conversation with Strada and Cameron, continued across the American River to the turn-around. On the way back we hooked up with Mike whose ego was suffering because he just got passed by a guy with a baby jogger. Hey, we're not as fast as we used to be and getting passed by a baby jogger is a pretty good blow to the ego. Mike jumped in and, after another potty stop (bad pre-run prep by Carlos and me), we dropped Mike off at mile 12.5 and finished out the run with a decent pace. Carlos was pretty patient with me today, I didn't have a whole lot in the gas tank and I probably kept him off the pace he wanted.

We waited for a few at the 6.5 mile mark for Cameron and Strada who both looked really good for running 16 miles, and headed back to our cars for fresh baked bread and iced Vitamin waters courtesy of Cameron. Thank you! All things considered, it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Observations:

• It's HOT: It's unseasonably warm in Sacramento for this late in September, so I made sure to fill my hydration pack to overflowing...I needed every drop!
• Runners, runners everywhere: It's CIM time!!! I could not believe the volume of runners on the American River Parkway today. The full spectrum was represented: from sub 6 speedsters (more than a few) to jog-walkers (most). It's nice to see that many people in the sport and everyone seemed to be working hard to share the parkway.
• Wildlife: Carlos and I stumbled across a juvenile Coyote on the path today. He seemed completely unfazed by our presence.
• Rio Del Lago: good luck to all of the runners on the Rio Del Lago 100 going on today.

Two-fer

At the risk of breaking my motto (Marathons on three-days-a-week training) I got in an extra four mile run last night. Nothing exciting, just 8:00 mins/mile and a little sweat. I got up this morning and nabbed another  6.3 this morning again, at 8:01 mins/mile pace. Everything felt good, just not a whole lot in the tank this morning. I'll relax tomorrow and then get in 16 this Saturday with the LaBou crew: Rob, Mike, and ????

Random thought: my mind was ALL OVER THE PLACE this morning. I had a song stuck in my head (don't worry I won't share it an ruin your day too) and a million thoughts on top of the soundtrack of my run. How many thoughts does a person have in one day? Well, according to the National Science Foundation, people have between 12,000 and 50,000 thoughts a day...now THAT's quite a range. That's like Google Maps saying Sioux Falls, South Dakota is between New York and California...correct, but not a lot of help. How many thoughts do you have a day? Is a person who has more thoughts smarter than a person who has less thoughts? I think we all have the same number of thoughts, it's just a matter of being a critical consumer of the thoughts we choose to engage.  

Austin Ass Kicking

There are no two ways about it, I got my ass kicked this morning!!! I completed my first mile in 8:12 and was looking to try 7:30 for the rest of the run to see how marathon pace felt when I heard footsteps coming up from behind me...I HATE getting passed. 

I looked back and notice a speedster I've seen running around Land Park the last couple of weeks gliding up at slightly sub-sonic speed. Okay, I figured I'd pick it up a little to find out his story...which required him to throttle back to stall speed. <groan> Anyhow, his name is Austin and he just move to Sac (Land Park) six weeks ago from Nashville. He's 25 and fresh off the Notre Dame track and cross country teams. (At this point, the Hamster knew he bit off a little more than he could chew) After a 6:30 mile I decided to cut him free so he could do his thing and I could hail the ambulance coming down 13th Ave. Seriously, I felt like I was doing wind sprints on Mount Everest with Tenzing Norgay. 

I settled back into a 7:50 mile to recover and then "sped" back up with a 7:40 mile when I heard footsteps...again!!! Crap! I was getting lapped by Austin...did he have a twin out there? There was more to learn so I pour gas on the coals for a final 6:38 mile and got a little more info out of him. Austin's training for his first marathon after two knee reconstructions. He's been running 20 milers on Saturdays by himself to keep his miles up. When asked his pace, he replies with unfeigned modesty, "5:40 per mile." WTF!!! He's running 5:40 per mile for 20...by himself. This kid needs a training partner because he's got to get ready for the US Olympic marathon trials in 2012.

Late Update

Okay, the hamster's a little behind on the runs. I'll get caught up right now.

Runs last week that I missed:

• Thursday 6: nothing to report. I ran at about 8:10 pace. 
• Saturday 16: I hooked up with Rob and Mike again. I'm truly grateful for their willingness to join me on the trail. I finished in 2:08:16 (8:01/mi pace). It was a hot day on the trail and my pre-run regimine of beer and pasta alfredo the night before didn't help.

Land Park 4

·         Distance: 4

·         Time: Don't know

·         Pace: Don't know

·         Link: Don't have it

I left my watch at home, so I did this one on feel. Here are my observations

·         Watch Addict: I had no idea I was so addicted to my watch. I spent most of the run looking down and my naked wrist. I also missed the beep heralding yet another mile of training under my belt. When all is said and done, I want to run a report on my "training program" to see if I can make tweaks to improve my performance. Now, I'll be four miles short. I shouldn't be so attached to having a complete log, but I am.

·         Shoes Matter: Running in the new shoes made a huge difference today. Obviously, the run was not long enough to offer a definitive opinion on the shoes but, at least my feet didn't feel worse. By the way Rob, you definitely need to retire the pre-2000 shoes you're running in...are they moccasins? Seriously, shoes matter.

·         Overall: The run felt fast. I don't know my exact pace, but it seemed close 7:15.

 

 

Saturday Long Run - 14 on the Bike Trail

• Distance: 14.01
• Time: 1:49:42
• Pace: 7:49/mi (thanks to the last two miles)
• Link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/807977

What a run! I got a chance to run with Rob and Mike. Rob met me at LaBou on Howe and we set out for 14 miles of fun. Rob ran his first marathon at the CIM last year and he’s looking to use CIM for his second this year. He’s only been running consistently for the last three weeks, though he’s no couch potato when not running. Anyhow, with only three weeks of training under my belt, there’s no way I’d have logged the performance he put in today. Nice work.

I was pleasantly surprised when we picked up Mike at 3.5 into the run (at the Watt Ave. bridge) and he carried us into William Pond for the turn-around at 7 miles (actually, the 13.5 mile mark on the trail). As we got into William Pond, we were greeted by signs declaring a “full scale training exercise” underway. Apparently the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security was simulating a failure of Folsom Dam. I shudder to think what would happen to Sac if the dam really failed. Not good. Anyhow, it seemed like every first responder in a 100 mile radius was there and they were all showing off their gear: satellite trucks, rescue trucks, fire engines, mobile command centers, mobile hospitals, etc. All perfectly polished. It was quite a display. Of course, the kid/gear hound in me found it all irresistible. I decided the group of rescuers mulling around with nothing to do wouldn’t mind taking a quick photo of us, so I pulled out the BB and naturally got a photo in front of one of the fire engines. (What is the difference between a “fire engine” and a “fire truck?”). Mike’s on the left, I’m in the middle, and Rob’s on the right.

Observations from the hamster:

1. Marathon Season: Marathon season is truly upon us. I could not believe the volume of runners on the trail. I’m used to running across Sac Fit, Fleet Feet, or TNT. But none were present today. It was just a steady stream of small groups of runners: fast and slow, old and young, rookies and trail veterans. In 14 miles of running I can’t recall a single stretch where I couldn’t see another runner around. I love the Sacramento running community.

2. Bikes Galore: Folsom hosted the Folsom Lake Bike Festival today and, in addition to the sea of runner, there were as many cyclists on the trail. All headed to Folsom to support their brethren. I saw cycle teams from as far away as Davis on the trail. That’s quite a ride!

3. Détente: Everyone got along today. The runners shared the trail and didn’t run four-across. The cyclists were all polite (I think one almost waved at me). It was amazing. It did my heart good to see that we could peacefully coexist on the trail.

4. Foot Pain: My foot still hurt (still a 3 out of 10) so I decided to pry open the wallet for a new pair of shoes. I went to Fleet Feet in downtown Sac and used WAY too much of Lisa’s knowledge and patience as I tried on 342 pairs of shoes. I hate being high maintenance, but I really need some shoes that are going to ensure I make it to the starting line. The result: I picked up an ugly, but comfortable pair of Brooks Defyance (Warning: put on sunglasses before you open this link). Wait for the review in upcoming entries.

Here are the splits and my comments.

Lap	Time	Comment
1	0:07:49	A little quick out of the gates
2	0:08:01	Much better
3	0:08:01	Yawn
4	0:07:49	Met up with Mike and temporarily sped up.
5	0:08:00	Much better
6	0:08:02
7	0:07:57	Photo stop!
8	0:07:54
9	0:07:58
10	0:07:59
11	0:08:12	Dropped off Mike
12	0:07:57
13	0:07:11	I wanted to push it to see how things felt…good
14	0:06:43	Can you say, "Anaerobic threshold?" I <gasp, gasp> can!

Round and Round I Go...

By the numbers:

·         Distance: 6

·         Time: 50:34

·         Pace: 8:25/mi (glacial)

·         Link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/788669

It’s been a busy week, so I’m late posting this run. I ran this guy yesterday.

You would think that because I have a Garmin that gives me distance and maps my route, that I’d run all over the place because I always know how far I’ve gone. You’d be incorrect. Truth be told. I really enjoy running around Land Park. The decomposed granite track is easy on the joints (and my nagging little foot), the park is beautiful and peaceful, and I don’t have to stop for lights or intersections. It’s great. Also, running around the park is very, very relaxing to me. Instead of focusing on which turns I’ve made/missed and how far I am into the run. I get to relax, quiet the incessant chattering in my head, focus on form, and let the miles tick off (sometimes faster than others).

All for now. I have a proposal I need to finish related to prison healthcare. What do I know about prison healthcare? Thankfully, nothing first hand. Gotta go!

 

Land Park 5...again

·         Distance: 5.05

·         Time: 0:38:00

·         Pace: 7:31/mi

·         Link: (not uploaded yet)

Fall is on the way!!! It was 59 degrees during my run, which felt great! The first mile was spent blowing the cobwebs out. My foot hurt a little more than I wanted it to and my calves were a little tight. From there I picked up the pace and finished with a 6:28 mile. My first sub 6:30 mile in what feels like 20 years. That said, the 7:37 pace I need to maintain for Boston still feels fast. I keep waiting for 7:37 to feel easy…and waiting…and waiting. I’m still early in my training, I know. But the bottom line is, if that pace doesn’t feel like a walk in the park by early November, I’m in trouble.

Saturday Long Run - 15

Okay, this run involved three people running three different distances meeting up and splitting off at differing points. Essentially, this was three different runs. Joe, Stephanie and I are linked Waldorf. We all have kids who attend the school. They are among an incredible amount of parents running marathons this fall from the school. Joe plans to run the CIM and Stephanie plans to run the Cowtown full marathon as well as the CIM (she’s nuts). We all share the goal of 3:20:00 or better for the CIM. Anyhow, Stephanie used this as her last long run before Cowtown so she ran from her house to meet me at 6:30 AM. Joe had an early soccer game, so he too ran from his house to meet me at 6:30. So 6:30 rolls around and everyone’s been running except me. What a sloth. Not only that, I’m the only one with fluid…what? I think Joe and Stephanie must be part camel. Now I feel like a sloth AND a sissy! Great.

Here’s what the run looked like:

 

Mile	Pace	Comments
1	0:08:07	Pick met up with Stephanie and Joe at my house
2	0:08:00	This split hit in front of the Cemetery
3	0:08:14	Up the incline into Old Sac.
4	0:08:04	Into Discovery Park and  onto the bike trail
5	0:08:06	Feeling good
6	0:08:13	No idea why we slowed here
7	0:08:02	Last split with Joe, he cut off to head home for a soccer game
8	0:07:48	Stephanie and I feel good so we pick up the pace
9	0:07:38	Still feeling good
10	0:07:42	Here too.
11	0:08:01	Stephanie feels good, but my legs are going flat at this point
12	0:07:52	I power though it hoping to turn things around
13	0:08:12	Nope, now I'm just a boat anchor for Stephanie
14	0:08:06	In the home stretch.
15	0:08:02	Gut it out sissy!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/748548

I planned to run a little faster, but my legs ran out of gas. My ego and Stephanie powered me through the last few. It was not my finest run. I definitely held Stephanie back on the last three miles. Sorry. If I were to predict the run times based on today’s run, I’d have Joe and Stephanie well below the 3:20:00 goal and me languishing around 3:30:00. I need to get my game together!

On a positive note. My foot feels good. I switched to an old pair of running shoes and it made all the difference. I guess my “new” shoes are the culprit. So I need to make a stop by Fleet Feet this week.

Land Park 5

• Distance: 5.44 mi
• Time: 00:41:29
• Pace: 7:37 / mi (Big Smile)
• Link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/734140
• Quality: 6/10

Lap	Time	Distance
1	0:08:05	1.00 mi
2	0:07:32	1.00 mi
3	0:07:39	1.00 mi
4	0:07:32	1.00 mi
5	0:07:32	1.00 mi
6	0:03:07	0.44 mi

I still felt the effects of my Sunday long run today. It’s not like I was debilitated, I just suffered from some tight calves. Actually, the introduction of the Garmin into my daily regimen ensures that I stretch before every run. The 405 needs to acquire a satellite signal before I can begin, and that process can take up to 3 minutes to occur. The perfect amount of time to get in a few stretches to critically tight muscles. Anyhow, my calves loosened up and the run went pretty well. The best part of the run was bumping into Abby…twice. She’s really taking the CIM relay seriously.

I’m really looking forward to my long run this Saturday. It looks like I’ll have at least one partner and possibly three. The kids started school this week and it turns out that three of the parents in my youngest’s class are planning to run the CIM. So, naturally, I got them together for 15 this Saturday. Stay tuned.

Recovery Run or Junk Miles...

• Distance: 4.23
• Time: 0:39:42
• Pace: Well north of 7:37
• Link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/713937
• Quality: 4/10

First of all, I slept like heck last night! I was up multiple times and had a difficult time getting back to sleep. Nuts. Second, my sleeping troubles might have something to do with the sangria I had last night. Abby made a fantastic Tamale Polenta Pie and sangria seemed like the perfect accompaniment…maybe not. Lastly, my calves were WAY tight this morning and my foot is still a 3 out of 10 on the pain-o-meter. This was the recipe for a “recovery run”. One where I just needed to get the blood flowing and stretch out the muscles a little bit. Mission accomplished. I ran the first mile with Abby and then spent the rest of the run working on form.

So, are they junk miles? Or was it a recovery run? I guess I’ll find out when I run the CIM.

Sunday Long Run

• Distance: 14
• Time: 1:50:57
• Pace: 7:56/mi
• Link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/704084
• Quality: 7/10

I usually do my long runs on Saturday, but my girls were out of town and I had my Fantasy Football Draft on Friday night, so Sunday held a special allure for me this week. (note: I drafted 10^th of a 10 team league and made some poor drafting choices…my team sucks this year) I started at the 6.5 mile mark on the American River Bike trail with a goal of 8:00 mins/mi and 13 miles on the run. I finished faster and ran 14, so that was a good thing. I can’t remember the last time I ran this distance, this well, this far in advance of the CIM. Usually I’m cramming in a 14 in early November.

Notes and Observations:

· Fleet Feet CIM Training Team: The Sacramento Fleet Feet store has a CIM Training Program. The guys at the Fleet Feet store in are without parallel for knowledge and customer service…their training programs are equally well supported and organized. I ran into about 150+ of their crew between Howe and Watt on the bike trail. I was impressed to see that many people out there. Good stuff.

· Foot Pain: The ball of my left foot is talking to me a little bit. Unfortunately, it’s saying, “Ouch!” It’s not bad, about a 3 out of 10 on the pain scale. I’m just going to watch it for now. But I think my left foot may warrant a few more blog entries before the CIM. Getting old sucks.

· CSUS Cross Country Team: speaking of getting old, I saw the new guard on the trail. The CSUS men’s cross country team was out for a little run. Judging from the breeze that nearly pushed me off the trail when they passed, I guess they clipped along at about 6:00 min/mile pace. They were talking as they passed, but I couldn’t understand them. I think they were speaking in their native tongue: antelope.

· Mike Morris: My training partner from the late 90’s met at 3.5 miles into the run and ran with me for 7 miles. It was GREAT to see him and I really appreciate him coming out. I ran into his wife at one of my client sites and got his email address. He’s still running (just completed his fourth Eppies Great Race as an Ironman…nice) and he was eager to meet up with me.