Half-Assed Runner

Archive for March, 2012

Runs: 19
Miles: 100.06
Races: 2 (7.46 miles)
Outdoors: 17 (93.27 miles)
Indoors: 0 (0.00 miles)
Treadmill: 2 (6.79 miles)
Longest: 15.21 miles

100 Mile March!

Wow.  A lot of personal records set this month: total distance (100.06), total number of runs (19), longest run (15.21 miles), and coldest run (7 degrees).

Other than the 7 degree beast, the weather was extremely warm for a Minnesota March (about 15 degrees warmer on average – warmest Twin Cities March ever).  This meant all but two of my runs were done outside.

I started a Marathon training class at a local Running Room store.  Every Thursday night we gather and listen to a presentation on different running topics (shoes, gear, training goals/plans) followed by a run.  The runs have all been in the 3 – 4 mile range so far.  I’ve also been joining their Run Club for Sunday morning runs that have been in the 6 – 8 mile range.  I do all of my running alone so it’s good to get out with other runners.  The runners tend to break into groups based on speed. I was happy to find out that I was not the slowest runner.  I was not surprised to find out that I was not the fastest runner.    So far I have been enjoying the classes.  With the two scheduled runs per week, I’ve changed from a 3 times a week runner to a 4 times a week runner.

I started doing long runs every two weeks.  Last year I peaked at 14 miles in preparation for my 10 mile race.  I did 15 miles last week and completed it about 1.5 minutes per mile faster than last year’s 14 miler.  I felt fine afterwards, although I did get exposed to a running “injury” I never anticipated: chafing.

I’ve been using the Galloway method on my long runs.  I run for 3 minutes, then walk for 1 minute.  I’ve been trying to hit all my intervals (run for the entire 3 minutes and walk for the entire 1 minute).  Early on it’s difficult to stop after 3 minutes (seems way too short) and walk for a full minute (seems way too long). This reverses on the last few miles: the 3 minute run feels like forever and the 1 minute walk goes by in an instant.  With a walk break every 3 minutes, I end up taking 2 or 3 one minute walk breaks per mile.  I’m a little surprised that I’ve been able to keep the overall minutes per mile south of 11 minutes.

The biggest benefit is that I’m able to be on my feet for longer and run further than I would be able to without the copious walk breaks.  I do a long(ish) run on Sundays (6.5 – 8 miles) without any (or very minimal if you count the traffic lights) walk breaks.  The longer Galloway runs have made these runs easier to complete.  I’m still running them slow, but closer to 10 minutes/mile than 11.

I increase the length of my Galloway long runs every two weeks.  Next run will be 17 miles, then 20 miles two weeks after that.  My plan after that 20 miler will be to dip back down to 15 miles but increase the run ratio.  I’m probably going to got to a 4:1 run to walk ratio.  Then I’ll go back up the ladder to 17 miles and then 20 miles again.  Then back to 15 miles and change the ratio again.  I hope to get to a 5:1 or 6:1 ratio and then crack the 20 mile mark.  Before the marathon, I want to do a 23 miler and finally a full 26.2 at my final run/walk ratio.  I might even experiment with skipping the walk bit on the first few miles.  By the time the TC Marathon rolls around in October I will have seen what 26.2 miles looks like and (hopefully) survived being on my feet for 5 hours.

As for my marathon goals, I really only have one: finish…alive.  I would love to break 5 hours but I’m not counting on any time goals at this point.

I was blown away at hitting the 100 miles in a month mark.  Last year, I set a personal challenge to run 100 miles over the course of spring/summer.  I matched that in a single month this year.  Hell, my long run of 15 miles matched my total March 2011 miles.  I was going to either skip or shorten the last run, but I don’t know when I’ll get within striking distance of 100 miles in a month again, so putting in an unplanned 3.68 miles on a Saturday to close out the month was definitely a go.

I bought new shoes and made the Reebok Nano Zigs take over as gym shoes.  I’m now riding in some Saucony Triumph 9’s.  I did the whole “gait analysis” thing and was somewhat surprised to find that I’m a “neutral”.  I like the new shoes, but other than making downhills faster (more padding?) there’s nothing monumentally different about them.

I battled though a cold (did not stop me running), a pinched nerve in my shoulder (stopped me from lifting, but not running), a small blister (new shoes), and some chafing (more embarrassing than debilitating).  Nothing major on the injury front.

Swim lessons ended a couple of weeks ago.  I did make some progress, but I’m still a better anchor than swimmer.  I’m still a year away from seriously considering a triathlon.  I signed up for a second session starting next week.  I’m a bit concerned because the instructor has told us that she’s going to start working us harder.

I ran two Irish-themed races this month: a slow 5K and a sunny 7K.

The “12 Half Marathons in 2012” is going well…on paper.  I have signed up for 5 half marathons so far.  I will actually run my first one at the end of April.  I also have a 10 miler, a 5.5 miler, and a 5K scheduled.  I might even try out a 2 miler at the beginning of the month.

Get Lucky! 7K

Today I ran the Get Lucky 7K in Minneapolis.  I had signed up for this race – along with the Polar Dash – way back in early December.  My wife was running this one as well, so I planned on running with her even though she runs at a slower pace than I do.  Due to the odd distance, I was guaranteed a PR and there were 8,600 other runners, so slow and easy wasn’t a difficult decision. [They later announced that this was the “largest, timed race in Minnesota”]

Do you see the start line (left corner)? This is the middle of the wave!

We drove separately as I had to check in at work and she had plans with her family.  The race began at 9 am and I was at the starting area around 8:20.  As there were a ton of runners, it took a while to find each other.  Our plans of running together were dashed when Miss Micro-Bladder jumped in the porta-potty line.  I waited for about 20 minutes and then told her I would get a spot in the (rapidly swelling) starting area.  That was the last I saw her that day.  There were banners denoting the various minute per mile markers.  I settled into the 9:30/mile section.  My wife texted me about 10 minutes before the race began and I told her where to meet me, but the crowds were too thick by that point.

Guthrie Theater

It was a beautiful summer day…in March…in Minnesota.  It was 70 degrees (on the way to a record high of 80) with a slight breeze and 80% humidity.

The Guthrie again...from the other side

At 9:00 am the race began.  I was ready for a long, halting walk to the starting line, but the human traffic flowed better than I anticipated.  By the time I got near the starting line, there was already spacing between the runners and I crossed the starting mats at a slow jog.  My wife complained that it took her 25 minutes to reach the starting line, but looking at the results afterward, I crossed the starting line 7 minutes after the gun and she crossed 6 minutes after me.  Time is a slippery concept to my wife.  She swears she was in the porta-potty line for only 10 minutes (our texts show it was at least 25 minutes) and her 13 minute wait to cross the starting line seemed twice as long to her.

Minneapolis

There were a ton of runners, but I rarely felt crowded.  There were fewer walkers than I normally encounter at the beginning of a race.  About a minute in, I came across a wall of six abreast walkers.  I delivered on my promise of throwing elbows and thumped the dude on the end as I passed him.  Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, asshole.

We saw the finish line about 1 mile in

The course was stunning.  The beautiful weather, the thrill of running with 8,600 other monkeys, the scenery, and the costumes meant there was never a dull moment.  We crossed two bridges (including the Stone Arch Bridge) and ran past the Guthrie Theater and other landmarks.  The terrain was a mix of streets, sidewalks, some wooden planks, and even cobblestone.  I avoided the cobblestone by running on the smooth cement strip (drainage?).

Cobblestone street...yuck

Since I wasn’t too concerned about my pace, I snapped pictures with my phone.  They turned out better than I expected considering bouncing about due to running.

I had a blast running on the Stone Arch bridge and seeing the river of green clad runner ahead and behind me.  After the Stone Arch bridge, I finally put on my ear buds and listened to music.

Stone Arch Bridge

I ran a pretty steady 9:45 for the entire race.  This is slower than I expected, but I was more into enjoying the experience than trying to run fast.  There was one water stop around the halfway point.  I grabbed water and walked a bit so I could drink.  Other than that, I took no walk breaks.  Nor did I expect to.  4.35 miles is about my average run nowadays and I can tell the voice in my head asking for a walk break to piss off.

Entering the Stone Arch Bridge

I was surprised at how hot it was.  This was the first run of the year where I felt my energy being sapped by heat and – again, in MARCH – humidity.  I was a sweaty beast about halfway into the run.  When I got to the end, I didn’t really have the energy or desire to sprint.  This was okay as I also did not have the room to do so.

Minneapolis

The "hill"

Running the "hill"

There was a huge crowd of finishers in which you had to navigate your way to get your medal.  They were also handing out bottled water, but I knew that there was a bunch of post-race goodies a couple of blocks ahead near the starting area.  I slowly made my way to this area and the crowds dissipated.  I grabbed a bottle of water, a Muscle Milk, and the “traditional” Team Ortho food bag: chips, Pearson Nut Roll, and banana.  By this time I had to leave to get to the office.  As I was walking to my car, my wife texted me to say that she had just finished.  She enjoyed the race, but was disappointed with her pace.  Kinda like me. 

After Finish Line

Overall I really enjoyed the race.  The day was majestic, the course was gorgeous, and I felt that Team Ortho handled the number or runners very well.  There were some complaints on Facebook after the race, mostly pertaining to the 1/2 marathon (held in a different location in Saint Paul).  It seems that they ran out of cups at one point so runners were unable to get water…on a day where it was very much a necessity.  There were also some complaints about overcrowding in the 7K.  I experienced neither issue, but what I did see that pissed me off was posts complaining about the race being deleted from Facebook.  I love your events Team Ortho, but you have to take the good with the bad – especially when the good outnumbered the bad about 10:1.

Medal

I had waffled about whether or not I wanted to run this race.  I think Lake Harriet is beautiful, but the parking and crowds turn me off.  In the end I decided to do the race because it’s been over 2 months since I ran a race.  A day after I signed up, the race filled so I was pretty lucky to get in.

I exited the house 20 minutes behind schedule and had to stop to get gas on the way in.  It’s about an hour from my house to Lake Harriet.  I ended up parking .7 miles from the start.  I may have been able to find something closer, but this was close enough and I knew that if I fed the meter enough tasty quarters, I would not get ticketed/towed.  I left my car at 8:30.  I still had to pick up my packet and stow the race swag (pretty nice green 1/4 zip jacket) before my race began at 9:10.

It was a gorgeous day for early March in Minnesota.  It was 44 degrees (about 20 degrees above normal for this time of year) and sunny.  There was a steady wind that made it feel a bit colder.  I went with running pants and a long-sleeved tech shirt.  I did get a bit chilly at points before the run, but nothing unbearable.  Some runners decided to act like it was June and wear t-shirts and shorts.

I jogged a bit of the .7 miles to the race area (near the band shell).  Packet pickup was quick and easy.  The “packet” consisted of your bib and jacket.  I probably had just enough time to jog back to my car and stow the jacket and get back before the start of the race, but I just didn’t feel like it.  I also knew that wearing the jacket would be a bad idea as I would get very hot.  So I decided to try the bag check.  You simply grabbed a clear bag, dropped your gear in the bag, then tore off a number from your bib and pinned it to the bag.  You then stowed you bag in the area that matched the last number of your bib.  When the race was over you retrieved your bag and showed the tag to a volunteer who made sure it matched your bib number.  Pretty smooth and it saved me 1.5 miles of jogging to my car and back again.

I walked around a bit then sat near the band shell.  Even though the race was sold out it did not seem nearly as crowded as the Reindeer Run I did here in November.  Tons of runners wearing green (I don’t have any green running gear so I went potato gray) and plenty of costumes.  There were a few vendors and the after race snack area looked well stocked.  There were also a handful of what looked to be portable gas fire pits for runners who needed to keep warm.

The 10 mile race began at 9am and the 5K runners were told to line up near the boat launch.  The line had markers for each minute/mile pace.  I had planned to get closer to the front than normal due to the congestion during the Reindeer Run, but instead settled in with my fellow 9 minute milers.

The race started on time and we…walked to the starting line.  This was not unexpected due to the crowd (and the relatively small path/road at the start).  Since this was not a chip timed event, I started Runmeter when I hit the start line, then noticed the actual start line 35 seconds later.  I noted to shave 35 seconds from my final time.

The race was slow and congested.  There seemed to be more room than the Reindeer Run (and no dogs), but passing was still a pain in the ass.  I still can’t believe the number of people who line up near the front and then walk…usually three or more abreast.  These tend to be fat ham beast women who then get pissed when you have to squeeze past them.  I’m to the point where I’m going to start elbowing them in the kidney as I pass by.  I know that I’m not Usain Bolt and this is an untimed fun run, but I did pay to run and there’s no advantage to the walkers to start near the front.  Meh.  End of rant.

The race was congested the whole way, but there seemed to be enough room to comfortably pass after the first mile.  I was able to hit my stride about then as well, so my frustration level dropped significantly.  My legs felt heavy and – after Runmeter announced a 10:30+ first mile – I knew I was not going to PR, so I just settled in and tried to keep a steady pace.  There were a couple of small hills on the route, but for the most part the course was flat.  The 5K did not have any water stations.  The wind only became a (minor) factor on the last mile of the race.  It was blowing from my left, so it didn’t slow me down much.

The 3 mile point was marked with a large banner (I don’t remember seeing the 1 or 2 mile markers) and it appeared sooner than I expected.  Runmeter was measuring short again (even though I definitely did not run the tangents).  I picked up the pace a bit and then again when I saw the finish mats (the mats were for the 10 milers) although I did not hit a sprint pace.  I finished in 28:50 (once I subtracted the 35 seconds from the time).  A little better than I expected, but not a blazing time.

I walked back to the bag check and got my jacket.  I grabbed a bottle of water, green cookie, and scone.  I walked back to my car and enjoyed a bit more of the unseasonably warm weather.  I saw some of the 10 milers on my way back.

All in all, a pretty nice race.  It was crowded, but not overly so.  I was happy with my time and glad to see that my 5K pace hasn’t slipped a ton over the winter.  This is only my 3rd 5K that I’ve completed without taking a walk break (2 of them on this same course).  It’s funny how quickly we acclimate to conditions.  Last year at this time I would have shit my pants at the prospect of running 3 miles.  Now I think of that previously frightening distance as my short, easy run.

Next weekend I will be running a 7K on Saint Patrick’s Day.  I hope to have a similar minute/mile pace (9:18) as this race and I am guaranteed a PR due to the odd distance.