Somewhat easy loop with Brian at lunch today over to the Cut. I haven't gone straight up this route in a while, always looking to tag on a few extra miles and taking the long way up. There are arguments as to which route is harder, but taking it on straight up is definitely tough no matter how you slice it. You break into a long narrow valley about 3/4 mile long, with a looming hill in the distance. Staring this thing down is enough to get your heart rate up. The rain we got yesterday and today didn't help with traction on the early portion of the climb, and although the baseball-size rocks kept the mud to a minimum, they didn't help out my ankles at all.
I remember this route as one of my first runs with the lunch group when I started in Malvern a little over a year ago. I was still recovering from my ankle injury then and had lost a lot of fitness over the subsequent months. By the time I got to Malvern, I was in pretty bad shape and this run nearly broke me. I'm glad to say that now, while not much easier, it somehow doesn't seem as daunting as it once did. This just proves how perception can change over time and most of the reasons for not trying something in the first place is fear. Thrust yourself into the thick of things and pretty soon it becomes the norm, not leaving much room for doubt.
As an added bonus, Brian and I happened across a solo jogger heading in the opposite direction from us on the way back. As we got closer, I heard him yell out my name and quickly recognized him as my neighbor in Conshohocken. When we first moved in, I remembered he told me that he worked for JCI in Spring House, not far from where I worked. Now I'm wondering if his company doesn't do contract work for JNJ. I'll have to find out. Maybe I've just found myself another running partner.
About 5.5 miles. Untimed.
Showing posts with label trails. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trails. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Told myself that 4-5 miles would be enough to get out the door, but turned that into a 7.5 mile Diamond Rock loop once I got the wheels going. It's always easier to persuade yourself out with an easy run. Grease the wheels and suddenly something longer doesn't seem out of the question. Storm clouds were looming all morning. In fact, the office area was dense with moisture... and the complaints of several coworkers. In timely fashion, the rain started with 10 minutes of the start of my run and soon turned into a heavy downpour. Thunder and lightning added to the ominous feeling of the run, but nothing would affect my slow and steady pace. I trudged up Howell Rd. with my eyes down to keep the rain out and slowly made it to the top. By the time I was out of the trails and on my way back down this same hill the sun was starting to peak out. It might seem weird to admit, but I'd prefer weather like this. I don't mind the wind and rain as it cools me off. And the sun shining at the finish of a decent run just compounds the high I already feel. Wouldn't have it any other way.
7.4 miles in 70 minutes
7.4 miles in 70 minutes
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Heavy Legs=Time for a Break
Today had to have been one of the slowest runs in a while. I'm sure that the miles and workouts racking up, in addition to the little water and food I had this morning, and the sudden increase in temperature outside all had something to do with it. I wasn't trying to push either, so I ended up walking up many of the steep trails I would otherwise press up. It was fairly uneventful, but I did take notice of the nighttime presence in the area. At the top of the Cut is a huge bonfire pit with a multitude of beer cans around it. The kicker is the 1970s style that has obviously been hauled up to the top of the hill manually. Access to this location is too treacherous for even a four-wheeling SUV. There are bonfire pits strew about at other locations along this 2-3 mile trail as well, maybe from dirt-biking outcasts who were deemed not cool enough to be included in the party.
6.5 miles in 78 minutes
Late afternoon
I'll be out of town this weekend for the AOR race to DC, so I wouldn't be able to participate in the final scheduled WOD at CBCF. Tonight was pretty much my only free night. The WOD for this week was unveiled two weeks ago so people had plenty of time to practice or at least lament over it.
AMRAP 7 minutes
3 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
6 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
9 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
12 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
15 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
18 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
18 Chest to bar Pull-ups
* If you finish the round of 18 pullups and thrusters, continue with 21, 24, etc.
Again, no idea how I would do it this workout. It was especially hard since there was no one else around performing it and I had no other benchmarks to go by. I finished with 82 total reps (ie. finished the round of 15 thrusters and did 7 C2B pullups). I would have liked to reach 18, but it felt pretty tough.
Mike asked me if I wanted to stick around for the daily WOD that they were performing that day:
6.5 miles in 78 minutes
Late afternoon
I'll be out of town this weekend for the AOR race to DC, so I wouldn't be able to participate in the final scheduled WOD at CBCF. Tonight was pretty much my only free night. The WOD for this week was unveiled two weeks ago so people had plenty of time to practice or at least lament over it.
AMRAP 7 minutes
3 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
6 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
9 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
12 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
15 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
18 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
18 Chest to bar Pull-ups
* If you finish the round of 18 pullups and thrusters, continue with 21, 24, etc.
Again, no idea how I would do it this workout. It was especially hard since there was no one else around performing it and I had no other benchmarks to go by. I finished with 82 total reps (ie. finished the round of 15 thrusters and did 7 C2B pullups). I would have liked to reach 18, but it felt pretty tough.
Mike asked me if I wanted to stick around for the daily WOD that they were performing that day:
Part I
For Time:
21 Deadlifts (225/150)
Run 4 CBCF laps (760 meters)
15 Deadlifts
Run 4 CBCF laps
9 Deadlifts
Run 4 CBCF laps
13:26
Part II
Tabata Hollow/Arch Holds
Was expecting to feel EXTREMELY wiped afterward, but I slept pretty well that night and didn't notice any lethargy. Tomorrow is a rest anyway.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Another Long Run (sort of)
Brigid and I took her sister, Hannah, out for a longer run this afternoon. Brigid is helping her get ready for Broad Street this weekend. They were originally going to run the Kelly Drive loop, but I convinced them to join me on the trails. I was supposed to do 12 miles today, but thought if I did 8-9 miles on the trails, it would even out. As is always the case, the beginning was light and peppy, but I was surprised to find this was the case even for me. I was struggling last week on the Sunday run just moving along at a snail's pace on Forbidden Drive. The fact that I had some pop in my step was motivating.
We tried to take it easy on the steep uphills so as not to wear Hannah out, but she did surprisingly well. As we got further into the run, there were several opportunities to head back to the car on Forbidden Drive, but I kept pulling them back up into the trails. I remember how frustrating it can be to run tired and not know how much longer you have to go. I tried to give distance updates as best I could. One thing I did take away from the run is not to get between the arguments between two sisters. You'll never win.
8.5 miles. Untimed
We tried to take it easy on the steep uphills so as not to wear Hannah out, but she did surprisingly well. As we got further into the run, there were several opportunities to head back to the car on Forbidden Drive, but I kept pulling them back up into the trails. I remember how frustrating it can be to run tired and not know how much longer you have to go. I tried to give distance updates as best I could. One thing I did take away from the run is not to get between the arguments between two sisters. You'll never win.
8.5 miles. Untimed
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Wissahickon four corners
The miles are starting to rack up. This would be my second attempt at the four corners run. I decided to run the southern loop first. I thought it might give me a mental edge to run this part after I felt so horrible after running it last week. Brigid ran this first loop with me and it was definitely a boost, but I wish I could have finished after that. I was feeling surprisingly good, but I knew after last week that this feeling was fleeting.
I brought water with me and was sipping during the entire first loop. At the midpoint, I downed some choco espresso beans, and half of a Clif Protein Bar. After about 5 minutes I started back out on the second loop. My energy kept up a little longer than the previous week, although it didn't take long for the soreness and fatigue to set it. The BIG positive this week was that it wasn't pouring rain. While it was still cloudy during the first loop, I emerged from a pretty dense section of the trail and almost felt the sun punch me in the face. But in a good way. I instantly felt a wave of energy, and I'm sure it was both physical and mental. It carried me for the rest of the run, however slow it may have been.
I finished the first loop about 5 minutes slower than the week before, and the second loop about 15 minutes slower. Might route on the second loop was not exactly the same, but I'm sure if it would account for much.
On a side note, my feet are definitely shrinking. I think this is mostly due to the Vibrams and the MT101 minimalist shoes I have been wearing. They must be tightening up my arches considerably, because my shoe size is decreasing at an exponential rate. I'm finding that the dress shoes I own once fit me, but now are causing me some pain. It's like walking around in clown shoes all day. Will have to look into this.
21 miles in 4:14
I brought water with me and was sipping during the entire first loop. At the midpoint, I downed some choco espresso beans, and half of a Clif Protein Bar. After about 5 minutes I started back out on the second loop. My energy kept up a little longer than the previous week, although it didn't take long for the soreness and fatigue to set it. The BIG positive this week was that it wasn't pouring rain. While it was still cloudy during the first loop, I emerged from a pretty dense section of the trail and almost felt the sun punch me in the face. But in a good way. I instantly felt a wave of energy, and I'm sure it was both physical and mental. It carried me for the rest of the run, however slow it may have been.
I finished the first loop about 5 minutes slower than the week before, and the second loop about 15 minutes slower. Might route on the second loop was not exactly the same, but I'm sure if it would account for much.
On a side note, my feet are definitely shrinking. I think this is mostly due to the Vibrams and the MT101 minimalist shoes I have been wearing. They must be tightening up my arches considerably, because my shoe size is decreasing at an exponential rate. I'm finding that the dress shoes I own once fit me, but now are causing me some pain. It's like walking around in clown shoes all day. Will have to look into this.
21 miles in 4:14
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Miles
Lunch run today with Becky, Raph, and Paul. The American Odyssey Relay is looming next week and it falls right in the middle of my training calendar. I rationalized that 20 miles in 24 hours at a decent race pace is equivalent to 20 miles in a single shot. Raph is also training for a marathon in Pittsburgh in a few weeks, so we are in a similar boat. His training follows more of a Crossfit Endurance type plan, although I don't think that's his intention. Last year he ran the marathon on minimal training in just over three hours. This year, I think he intends on repeating his plan from last year, perhaps with slightly more volume. He doesn't really include long runs in his training, rather he incorporates moderate distance runs done at tempo pace (10-14 miles) with some hill repeats and 800m intervals sprinkled throughout the week.
He has some background as either a track/cross country runner in high school and college, so I'm sure his rules don't apply to many others, but still interesting to see that he has had some success with this type of training. He is still accumulating 50+ miles per week, however. I'd like to try this type of training plan in the future, since it seems these longs runs just leave me feeling incredibly sore for days on end.
The run today was a 5 mile loop through the quarry and the nature preserve with the three of them. Raph and I added on a 3 mile loop down Flat Rd. and onto Lapp Rd at the end. Good weather, good run, but I was feeling the heaviness in my legs towards the end. I also found myself lagging behind the rest of the group during the early trail portion of the run, but convinced myself that I was running my own pace. Seems to work more for my mental confidence.
He has some background as either a track/cross country runner in high school and college, so I'm sure his rules don't apply to many others, but still interesting to see that he has had some success with this type of training. He is still accumulating 50+ miles per week, however. I'd like to try this type of training plan in the future, since it seems these longs runs just leave me feeling incredibly sore for days on end.
The run today was a 5 mile loop through the quarry and the nature preserve with the three of them. Raph and I added on a 3 mile loop down Flat Rd. and onto Lapp Rd at the end. Good weather, good run, but I was feeling the heaviness in my legs towards the end. I also found myself lagging behind the rest of the group during the early trail portion of the run, but convinced myself that I was running my own pace. Seems to work more for my mental confidence.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Night Run
The weather today spiked 85 degrees, as recorded on the thermometer in my car on the way home from work. I had enough time to stare at it while sitting in grid lock traffic on my ride home, now taking twice as long. After a few errands I swung by the Wissahickon for an easy run. The sun was setting and I noticed a sign posted on the Northwestern parking lot. Park closes at 9PM. I had an hour and only intended on 3-4 miles anyway. I was hoping to get at least the first half the run done on trails with the waning light behind me. I had to take some ginger steps, since I didn't bring my head lamp with me. I came across a group of mountain bikers with those REALLY powerful lamps that can pretty much light up the whole forest. I tried not to startle them by calling ahead, but I'm not sure if it really worked. I made my way down the hill and across Rex Ave to Forbidden Dr. I glanced back up the hill and always thought it was cool to see the lights of the bikers trekking up the hill in near darkness.
Now I had a bunch of street lamps to light my path and I picked up the pace on the 1.5 miles back to the Tree House. Can't really say for sure what the pace was exactly, since I didn't have my watch, but I would guess it was around 7:00-7:30 pace. I barely made it back to the parking lot above the Tree House (which was MUCH more precarious now that all sunlight had receded) in time to hear the intermittent siren of the park ranger rushing me out of the parking lot before he/she closed up for the night. Seems they jumped the gun a bit, since it was only 8:40 and the park closes at 9PM. I wondered if I could 4-wheel it out of there if they locked the gates.
Amazing how the warm weather can change your mood. I have run consistently this cold winter, through deep snow, mud, and frozen ground. The warm weather revitalizes everything, making an afternoon run or bike more enticing. Of course, I'll probably be singing a different too once the typical 90+ temperature and humidity season rolls around. There will definitely be more night runs once that happens.
Now I had a bunch of street lamps to light my path and I picked up the pace on the 1.5 miles back to the Tree House. Can't really say for sure what the pace was exactly, since I didn't have my watch, but I would guess it was around 7:00-7:30 pace. I barely made it back to the parking lot above the Tree House (which was MUCH more precarious now that all sunlight had receded) in time to hear the intermittent siren of the park ranger rushing me out of the parking lot before he/she closed up for the night. Seems they jumped the gun a bit, since it was only 8:40 and the park closes at 9PM. I wondered if I could 4-wheel it out of there if they locked the gates.
Amazing how the warm weather can change your mood. I have run consistently this cold winter, through deep snow, mud, and frozen ground. The warm weather revitalizes everything, making an afternoon run or bike more enticing. Of course, I'll probably be singing a different too once the typical 90+ temperature and humidity season rolls around. There will definitely be more night runs once that happens.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The triple incident
Today's workout called for eight miles. I brought my phone to gauge distance as best I could, but I still think it is falling a bit short. I don't really think I am running 11 minute miles. I mean c'mon. I'm not too familiar with the technology, but I'm pretty sure these phones and the Garmin devices use the same satellite. I don't know how one might get a better signal than the other, though. I guess it doesn't really matter. At this point a mile or two is just splitting hairs. I'm not really targeting any goal finishing time for this race anyway.
I was hoping for eight miles but it looks like I fell a mile short. Here is the summary. I was making my way through some overgrown trail that outlines the backyards of several homes, which on a route that is the prelude to the Cut. I had my headphones on and didn't notice the faint sound of danger until it was too late...dogs. A German Shepherd, and English Mastiff, and a pug. Despite the fear that was racing up my spine, I managed to let out a chuckle at this sight and told myself that there had to be some sort of invisible fence. In the back of my mind I kept thinking that German Shepherds don't have the best social personalities. I mean, they are trained to be police dogs and take down criminals...violently. I spotted the three of them from maybe a hundred yards away and kept up my pace, although keeping them in the corner of my eye. They kept advancing and I couldn't see anyone else in the backyard. Finally, they started crushing through the brush that made up the boundary between the yard and the trail. At this point, I think it's OK to admit that I $hit myself. I froze and the two bigger dogs circled me, barking and growling constantly, while the pug struggled to make it through the thick brush. The German Shepherd, while never making contact, was snapping at my wrist. After what seemed like forever, the owner finally came running out the back door, calling them all back and thankfully they obeyed. I didn't wait for any signal from her and took off down the remainder of the trail, unfortunately in the wrong direction I did miss the turn at the base of the cut and tried slogging through some marsh before giving up and turning around. I was a little hesitant to go back, but it was the only way and thankfully the dogs were back inside by now. The owner was standing out in the middle of the yard, staring at me and I wondered how many four-wheelers she has seen and cursed at while speeding by on this trail.
I took the long meandering route up the hill to add some miles onto the run. Lot of fallen logs to maneuver and I was rocking the Precisions, which have decent treads but not amazing ones. I nimbly bound over a waist-high log, planting one foot on top to carry me over, and the smooth bark-less trunk was too slick from the recent rain. It was like stepping on a sheet of ice. Luckily I had enough momentum carrying me forward so that I didn't land on the log and slow enough reaction time so that I didn't stick out my arm to brace my fall. I landed perfectly horizontal on the soft, rain-soaked ground-the remaining air in my lungs pushed out with a bellowing "Oooommf". I popped up, thankful that it hadn't turned out worse, and chuckled at the spill I had just taken.
I was dreading the notion that all bad things come in "3's," noticing the looming storm clouds over head I thought maybe this day would culminate in a lightning strike. Or at least a falling tree branch. The closest I came to fate was strong cloud of Christmas trees in the air. I thought maybe I had a brain tumor for a hot second, but rounded a corner and came across a few landscapers chugging a few beers next to recently fallen pine trees. Close call. I took Lapp Rd. home, up the hill on Tech Dr. and called it a day. Pretty good run.
I was hoping for eight miles but it looks like I fell a mile short. Here is the summary. I was making my way through some overgrown trail that outlines the backyards of several homes, which on a route that is the prelude to the Cut. I had my headphones on and didn't notice the faint sound of danger until it was too late...dogs. A German Shepherd, and English Mastiff, and a pug. Despite the fear that was racing up my spine, I managed to let out a chuckle at this sight and told myself that there had to be some sort of invisible fence. In the back of my mind I kept thinking that German Shepherds don't have the best social personalities. I mean, they are trained to be police dogs and take down criminals...violently. I spotted the three of them from maybe a hundred yards away and kept up my pace, although keeping them in the corner of my eye. They kept advancing and I couldn't see anyone else in the backyard. Finally, they started crushing through the brush that made up the boundary between the yard and the trail. At this point, I think it's OK to admit that I $hit myself. I froze and the two bigger dogs circled me, barking and growling constantly, while the pug struggled to make it through the thick brush. The German Shepherd, while never making contact, was snapping at my wrist. After what seemed like forever, the owner finally came running out the back door, calling them all back and thankfully they obeyed. I didn't wait for any signal from her and took off down the remainder of the trail, unfortunately in the wrong direction I did miss the turn at the base of the cut and tried slogging through some marsh before giving up and turning around. I was a little hesitant to go back, but it was the only way and thankfully the dogs were back inside by now. The owner was standing out in the middle of the yard, staring at me and I wondered how many four-wheelers she has seen and cursed at while speeding by on this trail.
I took the long meandering route up the hill to add some miles onto the run. Lot of fallen logs to maneuver and I was rocking the Precisions, which have decent treads but not amazing ones. I nimbly bound over a waist-high log, planting one foot on top to carry me over, and the smooth bark-less trunk was too slick from the recent rain. It was like stepping on a sheet of ice. Luckily I had enough momentum carrying me forward so that I didn't land on the log and slow enough reaction time so that I didn't stick out my arm to brace my fall. I landed perfectly horizontal on the soft, rain-soaked ground-the remaining air in my lungs pushed out with a bellowing "Oooommf". I popped up, thankful that it hadn't turned out worse, and chuckled at the spill I had just taken.
I was dreading the notion that all bad things come in "3's," noticing the looming storm clouds over head I thought maybe this day would culminate in a lightning strike. Or at least a falling tree branch. The closest I came to fate was strong cloud of Christmas trees in the air. I thought maybe I had a brain tumor for a hot second, but rounded a corner and came across a few landscapers chugging a few beers next to recently fallen pine trees. Close call. I took Lapp Rd. home, up the hill on Tech Dr. and called it a day. Pretty good run.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Secondary long run
The run today was a struggle. After finishing the long run yesterday, I was feeling pretty sore and lethargic for a few hours afterwards. I refrained from taking any Ibuprofen or an ice bath to give my body a chance to develop some sort of natural response to the stresses of long runs. Plus, I wanted to remain in as close a state as possible for the run today. All that went out the window when Brig mentioned we were going to dinner for dad's birthday. I slipped on some compression socks that have been sitting in my drawer for years, unused. They worked like magic, or did a pretty good job as a placebo. After a few hours, I did notice any soreness anywhere. I spent the night sleeping in them and I think they rolled down a bit, because the lethargy and tight muscles were back when I woke up. Nothing severe, but enough to make me want to stay away from my sneakers all day.
I finally got some motivation around 2PM and headed down to the park. I had no intentions of making my way up into the trails, as I didn't think my legs would carry me that far. The 50K isn't really much of a mountain marathon either, so I'll keep my hill training reserved for Saturdays. It was a good thing, too, because I couldn't get out of first gear for the entire run. I brought some tunes and podcasts with me to drown out the little voice in my head that kept telling me to turn around and go home. It might have actually been mentally easier to head for the trails, instead of the out and back route I did on Forbidden Drive.
All this combined with the fact that I was only wearing a T shirt in 60 degree weather. I wouldn't normally think this would be a problem, but for some reason today I was really chilly. Looking forward to a day off tomorrow. Dinner was pork tenderloin, Caesar salad and a baked potato with Brig. I promptly passed out on the couch afterwards.
10 miles in 1:31
I finally got some motivation around 2PM and headed down to the park. I had no intentions of making my way up into the trails, as I didn't think my legs would carry me that far. The 50K isn't really much of a mountain marathon either, so I'll keep my hill training reserved for Saturdays. It was a good thing, too, because I couldn't get out of first gear for the entire run. I brought some tunes and podcasts with me to drown out the little voice in my head that kept telling me to turn around and go home. It might have actually been mentally easier to head for the trails, instead of the out and back route I did on Forbidden Drive.
All this combined with the fact that I was only wearing a T shirt in 60 degree weather. I wouldn't normally think this would be a problem, but for some reason today I was really chilly. Looking forward to a day off tomorrow. Dinner was pork tenderloin, Caesar salad and a baked potato with Brig. I promptly passed out on the couch afterwards.
10 miles in 1:31
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Wissahickon Four Corners
For years I had heard of this run described as a milestone for many trial runners in the area. The route simply outlines the perimeter of the Wissahickon Park, from Northwestern Ave all the way down to Ridge in Manayunk. The link I attached is not my creation, but the only link I could find describing the route online. I'm pretty sure I stuck to the general route, although there were a few points I got lost or turned around. I hope to try it again this weekend and/or the following weekend, so I'll hopefully be a little more acclimated to the turns by then.
I started out the run with fresh legs and dry clothes, which is more than I can say for the finish. I had dry, windy conditions for the first half of the run, which added up to about 10 miles and approximately 1:38 on my watch. Not too bad. I didn't really have a time goal for the run, but I knew that Brigid and I ran the second half of this route (11 miles in about 2:09) a few weeks ago. Of course there were other factors at play on that run and I think we could have run it a bit faster. As I closed in on the first half of the route, the rain started at a pretty regular pace and since I was swinging by the car for food and fluids, I swapped the shirt for a dry jacket. Fuel was half a banana and some choco espresso beans with about 16 oz of water. I brought the chia/lime drink with me and Clif bar just in case.
The MT101s held out very nicely for the first half of the run, and I was surprised how quickly it went by. I had to take an offshoot of the trail that brought me up closer to Ridge and Northwestern, through an area that I think they are concentrating a revitalization project on. I had no idea there were so many trails legs up this far and made a mental note for future runs. After I left for the second half of the run, the soreness almost immediately started to settle in. Nothing unbearable or sudden, but a subtle, consistent soreness in my glutes and hamstrings. I've felt this in the past and was wondering if it had anything to do with the shoes, although I doubt it. Still, I plan on testing the Wave Precisions on the run next week and then making a decision after that.
As I've obviously delayed writing about the second half the run here, so did I delay actually running it. I lingered at the car for about 4 minutes by my watch, which was a little longer than I had planned. The rain got pretty heavy and I was alone with my thoughts for a few more hours. I did pass a girl running in the opposite direction as me once at the creek crossing near the horse stables and then again on the other side of the Wissy near the Walnut Lane Bridge. I was not mentally aware enough to ask if she was running the same route as me, but thought it would be funny if she was. Both times I saw her, we were south of the Valley Green Inn. It still gave me a little positive reinforcement.
Physically, I started to deteriorate during the last hour or so of the run. I could feel myself landing on my heels as I struggled to compensate for my sore calves. This probably led to the sore lower back I was feeling towards the end as well. The good thing is that soreness was the only limiting factor here. I thought it was interesting that at no point was I aerobically fatigued. In fact, I didn't ever really catch myself breathing hard. Hopefully by the time I finish my third or fourth long run of this sort, my muscles will have gotten strong enough to allow me to focus on speed and not just finishing.
I finished the route, which I think was about 21 miles in 3:48. I guess I was hoping to finish in 3:30 or better, but I'll take what I can get for the first run. A few wrong turns here and there might account for the difference. Hopefully next week I'll have some better weather.
I started out the run with fresh legs and dry clothes, which is more than I can say for the finish. I had dry, windy conditions for the first half of the run, which added up to about 10 miles and approximately 1:38 on my watch. Not too bad. I didn't really have a time goal for the run, but I knew that Brigid and I ran the second half of this route (11 miles in about 2:09) a few weeks ago. Of course there were other factors at play on that run and I think we could have run it a bit faster. As I closed in on the first half of the route, the rain started at a pretty regular pace and since I was swinging by the car for food and fluids, I swapped the shirt for a dry jacket. Fuel was half a banana and some choco espresso beans with about 16 oz of water. I brought the chia/lime drink with me and Clif bar just in case.
The MT101s held out very nicely for the first half of the run, and I was surprised how quickly it went by. I had to take an offshoot of the trail that brought me up closer to Ridge and Northwestern, through an area that I think they are concentrating a revitalization project on. I had no idea there were so many trails legs up this far and made a mental note for future runs. After I left for the second half of the run, the soreness almost immediately started to settle in. Nothing unbearable or sudden, but a subtle, consistent soreness in my glutes and hamstrings. I've felt this in the past and was wondering if it had anything to do with the shoes, although I doubt it. Still, I plan on testing the Wave Precisions on the run next week and then making a decision after that.
As I've obviously delayed writing about the second half the run here, so did I delay actually running it. I lingered at the car for about 4 minutes by my watch, which was a little longer than I had planned. The rain got pretty heavy and I was alone with my thoughts for a few more hours. I did pass a girl running in the opposite direction as me once at the creek crossing near the horse stables and then again on the other side of the Wissy near the Walnut Lane Bridge. I was not mentally aware enough to ask if she was running the same route as me, but thought it would be funny if she was. Both times I saw her, we were south of the Valley Green Inn. It still gave me a little positive reinforcement.
Physically, I started to deteriorate during the last hour or so of the run. I could feel myself landing on my heels as I struggled to compensate for my sore calves. This probably led to the sore lower back I was feeling towards the end as well. The good thing is that soreness was the only limiting factor here. I thought it was interesting that at no point was I aerobically fatigued. In fact, I didn't ever really catch myself breathing hard. Hopefully by the time I finish my third or fourth long run of this sort, my muscles will have gotten strong enough to allow me to focus on speed and not just finishing.
I finished the route, which I think was about 21 miles in 3:48. I guess I was hoping to finish in 3:30 or better, but I'll take what I can get for the first run. A few wrong turns here and there might account for the difference. Hopefully next week I'll have some better weather.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Managing Fatigue
I headed out during lunch for the 7.4 miles up Diamond Rock with Becky and Raph. The past few times we've done this run it usually takes approx 64-70 minutes to finish. We did the reverse route, although it seems like it's become the normal route these days. It has a pretty decent hill about 15 minutes into the run, followed by a gradual downhill and then another challenging climb.
I got to thinking about runs that I really feel good about lately. Tuesday's interval workout, oddly, was one of those workouts. Other than that, I don't really seem to remember too many runs where I can feel a solid pop in my stride and really feel comfortable at a 7-8 minute pace. Granted, I've been putting in some hard strength work during the week. Granted, I don't have too many interval or tempo sessions under my belt during this training cycle. But I'm still logging 30-45 miles per week, which is more than I've accumulated in recent memory. Hopefully, when I start tapering I'll start to feel some of that fitness I've hopefully been building lately. I got a glimpse of it on Tuesday and I just want a little more.
7.4 miles in 64 minutes.
I got to thinking about runs that I really feel good about lately. Tuesday's interval workout, oddly, was one of those workouts. Other than that, I don't really seem to remember too many runs where I can feel a solid pop in my stride and really feel comfortable at a 7-8 minute pace. Granted, I've been putting in some hard strength work during the week. Granted, I don't have too many interval or tempo sessions under my belt during this training cycle. But I'm still logging 30-45 miles per week, which is more than I've accumulated in recent memory. Hopefully, when I start tapering I'll start to feel some of that fitness I've hopefully been building lately. I got a glimpse of it on Tuesday and I just want a little more.
7.4 miles in 64 minutes.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Toughmudder Race Report
Way back in December, I signed up for this race and had a vague idea what it was about. My friend Devlin had done it last year and asked me to sign up on his team.
I woke up on Sunday morning around 6AM and downed some coffee, Gatorade, and a bagel on the drive up towards the race. I pulled into the lot and was surprised by the lack of crowds. I was expecting something along the lines of the Broad Street Run, with tens of thousands of people standing in line for registration, bathrooms, etc. There were approximately 5000 people racing today, and the race organizers thought it best to start people based on predicted finishing times, with waves starting every 20 minutes. I think this was a great way to approach the start, and with their attitude towards recording finishing times, it made sense to do it this way. I wandered over to the registration area, taking note of a few of the obstacles that were visible along the way. After meeting up with Devlin, we took a quick jog to warm up and then headed over to the start area.
Our race start time of 9AM put us in the first starting group, which obviously saw most of the serious athletes lining up. I made mental note of all the guys that had parked themselves in the front of the starting group: muscular guys with extra weight just looking to get themselves into the opening picture... The race organizer gave a few instructions and after the national anthem, it was time to go. I'll admit I was a bit nervous from the start. Devlin and I agreed to stick together for the race, as it would probably be a lot easier that way. He had volunteered the day before, and had a little insight as to how the race would go: badly. As it turned out, the race was 12 miles instead of 10, and there were 26 obstacles instead of 16. Even with most of the descriptions posted on the website, it was still hard to gauge what it be like to overcome them. I expected the worst.
The gun went off and Devlin and I did our best to keep from falling down the snow-covered ski slope. After about 200 yards, it was a 180 degree turn back up the face of the mountain. Only this time it was covered in mud, not snow. The climb seemed to last forever, but my legs seemed pretty fresh. After cresting the hill, it was a slide down a 20 foot mountain of snow/ice. This is where things started to get foggy. There were so many obstacles during the race that it was hard to keep track of what actually came first. I'll do my best...
Hill Climb Under a Cargo Net: pretty much what it sounds like.
Boa Constrictor: a tight crawl through a tiny pipe, similar to the escape of Andy in Shawshank Redemption. Instead of crawling through crap, it was freezing cold water and jagged rocks. There was a break in the pipe after about 50 feet, but that was filled with waist deep water. I tore up my arms and legs pretty good during this one.
Berlin Walls: These three walls were about 12 feet high with only a tiny foot hold about a foot above the ground. There was no way I was scaling these along and Devlin and I figured out an efficient system to tackle them. Of course they were built out of 2X4's and with thousands of people attempting to climb over them, multiple people at once, I was pretty nervous when the thing started rocking back and forth with me on the top. I'll admit that I'll attempt a lot of things, but that doesn't mean I don't get freaked out. Devlin had suggested bringing some sort of gloves, but I forgot them and was soon regretting it. It was a 12 foot drop to the ground on the other side and you had to maintain your grip, even though your hands an the wall were soaking wet.
Greased Lightning: Picture a 100 yard slip n' slide down a ski slope. Hoses were set up to keep the tarp wet. Of course everyone was diving down head first and landing in the puddle at the bottom. I would have thought they would have cleared out all the rocks and boulders out from under this, but apparently no one got that memo. I had been saying to Devlin that this was what I was looking forward to the most out of the race, which turned out to be pretty ironic since I landed on a rock that bruised my hip up pretty bad. It was very sore to run on during the rest of the race. It hadn't really started to bruise and I felt like I could keep going, but by the time I got home it looked like this:
Keep in mind this is about the size of a softball. It didn't hurt all that bad. I guess it could have been a lot worse.
Another crawl on all fours up a black diamond slope brought us to the first trail run portion of the race. This was like a walk in the park compared to the hills we just had to climb. As long as we kept a steady rhythm and didn't stop too often I figured we'd be in good shape.
Red Hot Blood Bath: Probably the most creative of the obstacles. We had to chomp down on a red hot cherry pepper and then jump into a dumpster filled with ice water. I went head first.
Another Berlin Wall: Probably more difficult than the first three combined since my hands and arms were starting to seize up from the jump into the ice water.
Hill Climb Under a Cargo Net: I started regaining some sensation in my arms and legs, but I was really starting to notice the burning feeling on my tongue and lips. I tried to avoid wiping my face so the pepper juice wouldn't get in my eyes. This took mental effort.
Greased Metal Pipe Wall Climb X 2: This one was tough for me personally. I was wearing my MT101's which had so far been great on all the hill climbs and mud romps we had been slogging through. But the treads on the shoes are more like spikes and the were slipping all over the place on the rungs of this metal ladder-like obstacle. Again, no gloves made for a difficult climb and if the crowd hadn't been standing right there, I probably would have been stuck at the top. Adrenaline took over and I trusted my grip not to fail as I swung off.
Walk the Plank: A climb up a near vertical tower with only a rope and a few poorly placed foot holds to help you. I remember thinking that it didn't seem so high from the ground, but looking down at the freezing cold water...it seemed like a mile. I brushed form to the side and just jumped in feet first. I can remember walking towards my car after finishing and hearing the crowds cheer for a girl who was having second thoughts about jumping. After about 30 seconds of cheering, she finally jumped and was rewarded with a roar of applause from the crowd.
Swim Under Submerged Obstacles: Just like it sounds. Mylar blankets offered after these series of water obstacles. I remember hearing the race organizer say that the lake temperature was 35 degrees F. My arms and legs were definitely losing sensation after I was finished this.
Ball Shrinker: Originally meant to walk across this tight-rope style obstacle, but all the volunteers were saying it was easier to dive in and pull yourself across. What the heck. We were already soaked through anyway.
Another Trail Run: This one was about 3 miles and trekked up and down the entire back side of the mountain. The feeling started coming back to my arms and legs, but some of the hills were tough. The terrain was extremely technical too. Lot of rocks, roots, and obstacles to trip over and I think Devlin and I both went down once or twice.
Funky Monkey: Devlin told me this obstacle had been closed the previous day because too many people were slipping off and falling into the shallow water below, some breaking ankles and legs. Sounded pretty gnarly to me. However, they had re-opened it for today. Again I had no gloves and felt my grip failing after three runs. I opted to just drop and crawl across the water below. I say crawl because there was a net and several layers of hay on the surface, making it impossible to swim or wade through. The water was pretty shallow and there was no notice of the huge rocks that were on the bottom. I could see how people could get pretty banged up here.
Swamp stomp and swim under submerged obstacles: Just a trudge through waist deep mud and eventually a swim under submerged logs...in the mud. I can say the water was cold because I started getting the "thousand knives stabbing me" feeling me in my legs.
Kiss of Mud: I don't see the rationale here. First, you had to crawl under barbed wire that was a mere 18 inches off the ground. But the real kicker was that the ground wasn't soft mud or earth. It was rocks, bricks, and other jagged objects. I couldn't crawl through without tearing up my knees and forearms, so I started to roll, but even this was excruciating. If the goal of certain obstacles was just to inflict as much pain as possible, it was a tie between this obstacle and the Boa Constrictor.
Firewalker: Run through a pre-determined path with burning hay bales on both sides. It was pretty hot and the smoke was thick. I guess if you weren't paying attention, you could easily misjudge your step.
Hills: Up and down. Up and down. We tried to run as much as we could, but they were too steep and snow covered. Had to walk up most of them.
Spider's Web: A climb up and over a cargo net. Pretty simple until you have four guys trying at once and it starts swinging like crazy. No problem.
Evil Knievel: A pyramid type obstacle. Little or no traction on the front side, only a tiny foot hold. The face was made of smooth aluminum, so you really needed someone pulling you or pushing you to make it to the top.
Hold Your Wood: A log carry up one of the steeper hills. Devlin and I grabbed the group log. It was damn heavy and I think we were regretting it from the start. A lot of people passed us here, but we got kudos from every one of them, including the Marine volunteer who told us we were the first of the day to grab the "group" log. I almost laughed when I saw the size of the logs some of the other guys grabbed.
Dragon Balls: Climb over several bails of steeply stacked hay. A running start and a prayer seemed to be enough to scale these on your own. No pun intended.
Electroshock Therapy: The culmination of the race. Hundreds of hanging positively and negatively charged wires administering 10,000V of electricity. I had no idea what to expect because I don't really know what 10,000V feels like. I think that was what made it easier for me. However, I did see one guy knocked off his feet just as I was beginning to go through, and another guy thought he would tough it out and walk through, only to topple over at the end. Can't be good for you. I sprinted through and got one good jolt towards the end. It felt like a loud pop in my ears and it knocked me to the right, but I didn't go down. Good enough.
Although I was thinking I would never do this race again while in the moment, I realized I probably say that about every race I've done at the time. A few days later and my bruises and cuts have started to heal and I'm actually feeling pretty good about the whole day. I got a few laughs afterwards while hosing off with a bunch of the other finishers. We all joked about the difficulty of what we had just done, and here we were squealing like kids while trying to rinse off with cold water.
Devlin had to peel out after the race to catch a flight to Chicago and I gladly took his drink ticket and watched a portion of the race from my car, conveniently within sight of the Red Hot Bloodbath and the Walk the Plank obstacles. I completely zoned out because I was so tired but had a few laughs watching some of the costumes and characters that scraped by.
Overall a good time and I would do it again.
I woke up on Sunday morning around 6AM and downed some coffee, Gatorade, and a bagel on the drive up towards the race. I pulled into the lot and was surprised by the lack of crowds. I was expecting something along the lines of the Broad Street Run, with tens of thousands of people standing in line for registration, bathrooms, etc. There were approximately 5000 people racing today, and the race organizers thought it best to start people based on predicted finishing times, with waves starting every 20 minutes. I think this was a great way to approach the start, and with their attitude towards recording finishing times, it made sense to do it this way. I wandered over to the registration area, taking note of a few of the obstacles that were visible along the way. After meeting up with Devlin, we took a quick jog to warm up and then headed over to the start area.
Our race start time of 9AM put us in the first starting group, which obviously saw most of the serious athletes lining up. I made mental note of all the guys that had parked themselves in the front of the starting group: muscular guys with extra weight just looking to get themselves into the opening picture... The race organizer gave a few instructions and after the national anthem, it was time to go. I'll admit I was a bit nervous from the start. Devlin and I agreed to stick together for the race, as it would probably be a lot easier that way. He had volunteered the day before, and had a little insight as to how the race would go: badly. As it turned out, the race was 12 miles instead of 10, and there were 26 obstacles instead of 16. Even with most of the descriptions posted on the website, it was still hard to gauge what it be like to overcome them. I expected the worst.
The gun went off and Devlin and I did our best to keep from falling down the snow-covered ski slope. After about 200 yards, it was a 180 degree turn back up the face of the mountain. Only this time it was covered in mud, not snow. The climb seemed to last forever, but my legs seemed pretty fresh. After cresting the hill, it was a slide down a 20 foot mountain of snow/ice. This is where things started to get foggy. There were so many obstacles during the race that it was hard to keep track of what actually came first. I'll do my best...
Hill Climb Under a Cargo Net: pretty much what it sounds like.
Boa Constrictor: a tight crawl through a tiny pipe, similar to the escape of Andy in Shawshank Redemption. Instead of crawling through crap, it was freezing cold water and jagged rocks. There was a break in the pipe after about 50 feet, but that was filled with waist deep water. I tore up my arms and legs pretty good during this one.
Berlin Walls: These three walls were about 12 feet high with only a tiny foot hold about a foot above the ground. There was no way I was scaling these along and Devlin and I figured out an efficient system to tackle them. Of course they were built out of 2X4's and with thousands of people attempting to climb over them, multiple people at once, I was pretty nervous when the thing started rocking back and forth with me on the top. I'll admit that I'll attempt a lot of things, but that doesn't mean I don't get freaked out. Devlin had suggested bringing some sort of gloves, but I forgot them and was soon regretting it. It was a 12 foot drop to the ground on the other side and you had to maintain your grip, even though your hands an the wall were soaking wet.
Greased Lightning: Picture a 100 yard slip n' slide down a ski slope. Hoses were set up to keep the tarp wet. Of course everyone was diving down head first and landing in the puddle at the bottom. I would have thought they would have cleared out all the rocks and boulders out from under this, but apparently no one got that memo. I had been saying to Devlin that this was what I was looking forward to the most out of the race, which turned out to be pretty ironic since I landed on a rock that bruised my hip up pretty bad. It was very sore to run on during the rest of the race. It hadn't really started to bruise and I felt like I could keep going, but by the time I got home it looked like this:
Keep in mind this is about the size of a softball. It didn't hurt all that bad. I guess it could have been a lot worse.
Another crawl on all fours up a black diamond slope brought us to the first trail run portion of the race. This was like a walk in the park compared to the hills we just had to climb. As long as we kept a steady rhythm and didn't stop too often I figured we'd be in good shape.
Red Hot Blood Bath: Probably the most creative of the obstacles. We had to chomp down on a red hot cherry pepper and then jump into a dumpster filled with ice water. I went head first.
Another Berlin Wall: Probably more difficult than the first three combined since my hands and arms were starting to seize up from the jump into the ice water.
Hill Climb Under a Cargo Net: I started regaining some sensation in my arms and legs, but I was really starting to notice the burning feeling on my tongue and lips. I tried to avoid wiping my face so the pepper juice wouldn't get in my eyes. This took mental effort.
Greased Metal Pipe Wall Climb X 2: This one was tough for me personally. I was wearing my MT101's which had so far been great on all the hill climbs and mud romps we had been slogging through. But the treads on the shoes are more like spikes and the were slipping all over the place on the rungs of this metal ladder-like obstacle. Again, no gloves made for a difficult climb and if the crowd hadn't been standing right there, I probably would have been stuck at the top. Adrenaline took over and I trusted my grip not to fail as I swung off.
Walk the Plank: A climb up a near vertical tower with only a rope and a few poorly placed foot holds to help you. I remember thinking that it didn't seem so high from the ground, but looking down at the freezing cold water...it seemed like a mile. I brushed form to the side and just jumped in feet first. I can remember walking towards my car after finishing and hearing the crowds cheer for a girl who was having second thoughts about jumping. After about 30 seconds of cheering, she finally jumped and was rewarded with a roar of applause from the crowd.
Swim Under Submerged Obstacles: Just like it sounds. Mylar blankets offered after these series of water obstacles. I remember hearing the race organizer say that the lake temperature was 35 degrees F. My arms and legs were definitely losing sensation after I was finished this.
Ball Shrinker: Originally meant to walk across this tight-rope style obstacle, but all the volunteers were saying it was easier to dive in and pull yourself across. What the heck. We were already soaked through anyway.
Another Trail Run: This one was about 3 miles and trekked up and down the entire back side of the mountain. The feeling started coming back to my arms and legs, but some of the hills were tough. The terrain was extremely technical too. Lot of rocks, roots, and obstacles to trip over and I think Devlin and I both went down once or twice.
Funky Monkey: Devlin told me this obstacle had been closed the previous day because too many people were slipping off and falling into the shallow water below, some breaking ankles and legs. Sounded pretty gnarly to me. However, they had re-opened it for today. Again I had no gloves and felt my grip failing after three runs. I opted to just drop and crawl across the water below. I say crawl because there was a net and several layers of hay on the surface, making it impossible to swim or wade through. The water was pretty shallow and there was no notice of the huge rocks that were on the bottom. I could see how people could get pretty banged up here.
Swamp stomp and swim under submerged obstacles: Just a trudge through waist deep mud and eventually a swim under submerged logs...in the mud. I can say the water was cold because I started getting the "thousand knives stabbing me" feeling me in my legs.
Kiss of Mud: I don't see the rationale here. First, you had to crawl under barbed wire that was a mere 18 inches off the ground. But the real kicker was that the ground wasn't soft mud or earth. It was rocks, bricks, and other jagged objects. I couldn't crawl through without tearing up my knees and forearms, so I started to roll, but even this was excruciating. If the goal of certain obstacles was just to inflict as much pain as possible, it was a tie between this obstacle and the Boa Constrictor.
Firewalker: Run through a pre-determined path with burning hay bales on both sides. It was pretty hot and the smoke was thick. I guess if you weren't paying attention, you could easily misjudge your step.
Hills: Up and down. Up and down. We tried to run as much as we could, but they were too steep and snow covered. Had to walk up most of them.
Spider's Web: A climb up and over a cargo net. Pretty simple until you have four guys trying at once and it starts swinging like crazy. No problem.
Evil Knievel: A pyramid type obstacle. Little or no traction on the front side, only a tiny foot hold. The face was made of smooth aluminum, so you really needed someone pulling you or pushing you to make it to the top.
Hold Your Wood: A log carry up one of the steeper hills. Devlin and I grabbed the group log. It was damn heavy and I think we were regretting it from the start. A lot of people passed us here, but we got kudos from every one of them, including the Marine volunteer who told us we were the first of the day to grab the "group" log. I almost laughed when I saw the size of the logs some of the other guys grabbed.
Dragon Balls: Climb over several bails of steeply stacked hay. A running start and a prayer seemed to be enough to scale these on your own. No pun intended.
Electroshock Therapy: The culmination of the race. Hundreds of hanging positively and negatively charged wires administering 10,000V of electricity. I had no idea what to expect because I don't really know what 10,000V feels like. I think that was what made it easier for me. However, I did see one guy knocked off his feet just as I was beginning to go through, and another guy thought he would tough it out and walk through, only to topple over at the end. Can't be good for you. I sprinted through and got one good jolt towards the end. It felt like a loud pop in my ears and it knocked me to the right, but I didn't go down. Good enough.
Although I was thinking I would never do this race again while in the moment, I realized I probably say that about every race I've done at the time. A few days later and my bruises and cuts have started to heal and I'm actually feeling pretty good about the whole day. I got a few laughs afterwards while hosing off with a bunch of the other finishers. We all joked about the difficulty of what we had just done, and here we were squealing like kids while trying to rinse off with cold water.
Devlin had to peel out after the race to catch a flight to Chicago and I gladly took his drink ticket and watched a portion of the race from my car, conveniently within sight of the Red Hot Bloodbath and the Walk the Plank obstacles. I completely zoned out because I was so tired but had a few laughs watching some of the costumes and characters that scraped by.
Overall a good time and I would do it again.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Valley Forge Loop
Thought about stopping in Valley Forge since it's conveniently on the way home from work. I've gone through a few times months ago and found some decent single track which is also pretty good for mountain biking. It's a pretty huge park with lots of paved trails and grass fields everywhere. Throw in loads of rolling hills and you've got yourself a workout. I went to this site and found a nice 5-mile loop for starters. I'm fairly familiar with the area, so it wasn't a stretch to find the starting point and I could easily keep my bearings during the run.
It was an awesome afternoon. Mid 60s and the sun still hanging over the tops of the trees. No music for this workout, just my heavy breathing and clambering foot strikes. I remembered reading an article earlier about the push to change running form towards forefoot striking to achieve better economy. I also remember a separate article citing all the runners who seem to just float on past at blazing speeds, all while seemingly effortless. I came to the conclusion that, without a coach, I'll just end up doing more damage than good. So I'll try not to focus on it too much.
I ran past a picnic area where we've had our company outings for the past few years. I always find it funny re-visiting places that I've been to as a kid and then again as an adult. My parents used to take all of us here when I was younger (4 boys and a girl) and probably get a kick out of watching us run up and down the hills all day. Of course now I know they just wanted a little peace and quiet on the car ride home and for the rest of that day. We were out for the count...
Kept a fairly consistent pace throughout the run. Stopped a few times to look for road signs, but nothing else. I wore the MT-101 trail shoes and stuck mostly to the grass, but next time I'll definitely go barefoot. It's all smooth, soft grass here. Gotta give it a shot.
5.1 miles in 41 minutes.
It was an awesome afternoon. Mid 60s and the sun still hanging over the tops of the trees. No music for this workout, just my heavy breathing and clambering foot strikes. I remembered reading an article earlier about the push to change running form towards forefoot striking to achieve better economy. I also remember a separate article citing all the runners who seem to just float on past at blazing speeds, all while seemingly effortless. I came to the conclusion that, without a coach, I'll just end up doing more damage than good. So I'll try not to focus on it too much.
I ran past a picnic area where we've had our company outings for the past few years. I always find it funny re-visiting places that I've been to as a kid and then again as an adult. My parents used to take all of us here when I was younger (4 boys and a girl) and probably get a kick out of watching us run up and down the hills all day. Of course now I know they just wanted a little peace and quiet on the car ride home and for the rest of that day. We were out for the count...
Kept a fairly consistent pace throughout the run. Stopped a few times to look for road signs, but nothing else. I wore the MT-101 trail shoes and stuck mostly to the grass, but next time I'll definitely go barefoot. It's all smooth, soft grass here. Gotta give it a shot.
5.1 miles in 41 minutes.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Short run
Run today called for three easy miles. Took a route with some coworkers through a hay field that I'm sure was crawling with ticks. Add sinkholes and poison ivy and that equals me never running through here again. To top it off, I found the remains of a deer femur (at least I think it as a deer...). Pace was very slow to accommodate all of the newbies, and I was happy to oblige. At least the grace was easy on my legs and got the blood flowing.
About 3.5 miles in 40 minutes.
About 3.5 miles in 40 minutes.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Solo Malvern Run
A solo run in the rain through the quarry and the nature preserve today. I can easily remember the days when I was missing turns left and right. Now the heavily traveled route seems like second nature to me. I still can't consider myself an expert back here, but it's good to know I can head out on my own and find my way around. Of course the rain brought lots of mud and bigger creeks, but the wind wasn't so bad once I reached the protection of the trees. I had anticipated 70 degree weather all week and didn't pack anything but shorts and a tee. I opted to take the Brokeback portion of the trail (the first time I realized where the turnoff was) and finished with a sprint up the final hill in the park before cooling down for the last 1/2 mile.
My legs still felt pretty heavy, but at least the stiffness dissipated after a few minutes of warmup. About 4.5 miles in 40 minutes.
Early evening
Loss to Zero Defects tonight. Didn't play as well as we did last week, although they hit a ton of three-pointers. I think this drops us to second place, but I guess it doesn't really matter in the end. We beat the first place team handily twice already this season. Hoping for the best.
My legs still felt pretty heavy, but at least the stiffness dissipated after a few minutes of warmup. About 4.5 miles in 40 minutes.
Early evening
Loss to Zero Defects tonight. Didn't play as well as we did last week, although they hit a ton of three-pointers. I think this drops us to second place, but I guess it doesn't really matter in the end. We beat the first place team handily twice already this season. Hoping for the best.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Growing numbers
I think it was a record turnout for the afternoon run today. Paul, Raph, Becky, myself, Chris, Brian, Frank, and Pedro rounded out the team and we headed onto what they called the "Hollow Rd/Horsetrail route. Some pretty decent climbs during this run, particularly in the beginning and then again about half way through. I charged both but didn't record the time it took to finish them. The hill up Yellow Springs is a almost 3/4 of a mile, and I would guess it took me about 5-6 minutes to reach the top of this hill. I would say it's pretty much one of the longest, steepest hills in the area.
Once we got to the top I realized I knew exactly which route we were taking. I don't really like this portion of the Horseshoe Trail. There are so many softball-sized rocks littering the trail, which are precariously covered by constant bed of leaves. It just makes running through this portion unenjoyable because every step is focused and hesitant. As soon as we made it out of this section, it was back on the road and almost immediately onto the long downhill back to the corporate campus. There is at least a section of grass on the side of the road and I have learned to negotiate this section with increasing speed. I never really feel any energy exerted on speeding up, rather just bracing myself for each footstrike and trying to make each one as smooth as possible. Let yourself go and you'll continue rolling faster down the hill, until either your nerves or your quads force you to stop. I reached the bottom and couldn't see the next runner in sight, including some of the more accomplished trail runners.
I can't remember what my final time was. I'll say 7.3 miles in about 67 minutes.
Once we got to the top I realized I knew exactly which route we were taking. I don't really like this portion of the Horseshoe Trail. There are so many softball-sized rocks littering the trail, which are precariously covered by constant bed of leaves. It just makes running through this portion unenjoyable because every step is focused and hesitant. As soon as we made it out of this section, it was back on the road and almost immediately onto the long downhill back to the corporate campus. There is at least a section of grass on the side of the road and I have learned to negotiate this section with increasing speed. I never really feel any energy exerted on speeding up, rather just bracing myself for each footstrike and trying to make each one as smooth as possible. Let yourself go and you'll continue rolling faster down the hill, until either your nerves or your quads force you to stop. I reached the bottom and couldn't see the next runner in sight, including some of the more accomplished trail runners.
I can't remember what my final time was. I'll say 7.3 miles in about 67 minutes.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Recovery Run
Since we ran a little more than recommended yesterday, thought it might be a good idea to scale down the workout today by a few miles. Planned 10 mile run turned into 7, but still a good distance to follow up a long workout with. Intended on taking Forbidden Drive home during the final stretch, but Brigid opted for the hills on the Western side of the creek, and so hills did we endure. This enthusiasm died away quickly when she realized how much further it was going to take us, and how little time it was going to leave us to get ready to head over to my parents.
It was a cool, brisk day with lots of sunshine and much to be thankful for. The healing power of the outdoors.
7 miles
1:07
It was a cool, brisk day with lots of sunshine and much to be thankful for. The healing power of the outdoors.
7 miles
1:07
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Long Run
Long run today with Brigid. I was hoping to get my new shoes delivered today and couldn't believe when I checked the mail and they weren't delivered. USPS tracking says they were delivered. But no shoes. So after about an hour of pouting, I pulled it together and Brigid and I stumbled out the door. Why stumbled? because there on our doorstep was the USPS box with my shoes in it. Mizuno Wave Precisions. That's what happens when you forget to bring Friday's mail in with you. I laced up and we headed out the door. Of course the flat portion of the SRT, while boring, definitely flew by as Brig and I have been focusing many of our runs on the Wissy trails. The long flat stretch was a good change of pace and we cruised along at ~8:00/mile. Most of that change as the run wore on. The long hill up Leverington in Manayunk made sure of that. And we happened along the Wissy trails a little longer than I expected before finally making it down to Forbidden Drive. We opted against the long hill up Andorra, but the traffic on Germantown wasn't much better. At this point, we were both pretty tired and had to stop a few times just to collect ourselves. The home stretch down Joshua was the toughest, because this road is much longer than it seems and the downhill wreaks havoc on your legs just before subjecting you to the long uphill back home.
It might have been a little too much in too short a time. Our last long run was 12 miles on the trails, and I originally thought this run was 15, but after going back and re-mapping, it turned out to be 17. Hopefully this will make this week's 15-mile workout seem like a walk in the park.
17 miles in 2:50
It might have been a little too much in too short a time. Our last long run was 12 miles on the trails, and I originally thought this run was 15, but after going back and re-mapping, it turned out to be 17. Hopefully this will make this week's 15-mile workout seem like a walk in the park.
17 miles in 2:50
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Unafraid
I'm definitely not used to longish runs during the week. In fact, about 60-70 minutes seems to be my limit Monday-Friday. Tag on a long run or two on the weekend and I'm golden. Today Brigid and I were supposed to run 8 miles and decided to tackle all of them on the trails. The sun has been out until about 730 these days, so we had plenty of light to finish before dark. I still seem to be having some problems with my GPS cutting out during runs in the valley. I found this run documented on a verified website as 8.3 miles. But my GPS only registered it as 7. Go figure. I hope we aren't running that slow, but you can never tell.
I've seen tons of deer running on the trails here and in Malvern. But tonight Brigid and I stumbled across a doe with absolutely no fear of us. I've never heard of a rabid dear, but there is a first time for everything. I was especially wary of a stag and babies in the area, as I've come across this before. The doe was probably standing about 3-4 feet off the trail and Brigid and I had no intention of turning around and running the 2 miles back to Forbidden Drive in order to go around it. I looked around quickly to make sure it was alone and then we sprinted past it. Not even a flinch. I was a little surprised at how far it can swivel its head around and had flashes of the Exorcist which made me run just a bit faster past. It was an odd experience.
I've seen tons of deer running on the trails here and in Malvern. But tonight Brigid and I stumbled across a doe with absolutely no fear of us. I've never heard of a rabid dear, but there is a first time for everything. I was especially wary of a stag and babies in the area, as I've come across this before. The doe was probably standing about 3-4 feet off the trail and Brigid and I had no intention of turning around and running the 2 miles back to Forbidden Drive in order to go around it. I looked around quickly to make sure it was alone and then we sprinted past it. Not even a flinch. I was a little surprised at how far it can swivel its head around and had flashes of the Exorcist which made me run just a bit faster past. It was an odd experience.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Nature Preserve
Rainy, muddy run through the quarry and the Nature Preserve with Chris and Paul. I should probably make it more of a habit to check the weather forecast in the mornings, but I never really plan for anything. All I brought with me today was a long shirt, shorts, a hat, and Mt101s. Of course no socks. Today might as well be as good a day as any to go sockless and hope I don't develop any blisters. As it turns out, I didn't get any despite the fact that my shoes seem to be just slightly loose. Might have to start trying this more often. The only down side of the MT101s is that in muddy conditions, they offer almost no ankle stability. This particular route has lots of steep uphill and downhill sections and the latter usually culminate in a sharp turn at the bottom which means you really have to trust your footing in order to plant and turn. Of course I have no confidence at this point, so I probably looked a bit like a ballerina tiptoe-ing down the hill trying desperately not to build up too much speed before inevitably face-planting in the mud. Luckily, it went OK and I had no spills.
We got to talking about preparations for the AOR relay at the end of April and many of the logistics still need to be worked out. For some odd reason, I realized that this will be one of the first races I've been in since Broad Street last year. Not terribly frightening, but remarkable nonetheless.
Should be about 5 miles in 42:48
We got to talking about preparations for the AOR relay at the end of April and many of the logistics still need to be worked out. For some odd reason, I realized that this will be one of the first races I've been in since Broad Street last year. Not terribly frightening, but remarkable nonetheless.
Should be about 5 miles in 42:48
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
