I don't actually even know what a Polar Vortex is, but it sounds cool. That is what we are having right now. It is bringing some of the coldest temperatures on record. Today was the worst day of all. When I started my run, it was somewhere around 5 degrees with a windchill around -15 degrees. Without a doubt this was the worst conditions that I've ever run it.
Of course I wasn't about to take the day off. I had to at least try running in it and in fact, I wanted double digit miles. I saw a couple friends did shorter runs during it earlier in the day. That was encouraging.
I was about to head out and Flo said she was going to do some WDR training, so maybe we could meet up. I would run first for a bit and then meet her and maybe we'd run together and I would watch her do some of her crazy stuff.
I was actually kind of overdressed. I don't really have a good second pair of pants to wear as an additional layer, so I went with sweatpants over my tights. For the top layer, I wore both my fleece and jacket over the regular top. I also wore a face mask to keep my face warm.
I was comfortable as I headed out. The plan was for 4 miles on my own before meeting Flo. I went north toward Mill Race Park, from Penn Pump Park. The trail was clear in the beginning. Near Mill Race Park, it has some ice coverage. That didn't slow me much though.
It was basically 2 miles until I got to the road crossing at Tatamy. That was perfect. The open section near Mill Race Park was absolutely brutal. The wind was unbearable. Elsewhere, it wasn't as bad.
What got kind of annoying was wearing the face mask. It is hard to breath with that on and it gets moisture from your mouth, so it gets wet. I took the mask down at times. I bought it a few years ago, but I hate wearing it.
Another issue I was facing is that my legs didn't recover all that well from the tough long run yesterday. Usually I can bounce back pretty good, even from a 20 miler. They were definitely sore. The front of my left leg actually hurt and I had to do most of the run on my toes.
I got back to the car at mile 4. It was right around an 8:15 pace for this first part of the run. I went in my car to warm up. I then send Flo a text and it took some time for her to respond. Finally, I decided I would run more until she was ready.
This time I headed out in the other direction toward Hackett's Park. It was very windy going this way. It was almost too difficult. I battled though, knowing that I was only going out a mile and then I'd be coming back.
I turned around right before the Crayola Factory and then I headed back. This time the pace was much slower than initially. One thing that was tricky is that my face mask was soaked, so I couldn't wear it on this trip. I had to zip my fleece up higher and wear a regular winter hat.
I got back to Penn Pump Park. I had run 2 more miles. I saw Flo wasn't at the park, so I kept going. I figured I could sneak in another mile. That was a struggle going against the wind, but I got it done. I had 7 solid miles in the book at that point.
I sent Flo another text and she was at Mill Race Park, so I had to drive there to meet up with her. She looked funny all bundled up and with her training gear on too. It was freezing at Mill Race Park. She tried to run with her heavy pack, but that was short lived. Since I needed mileage, I went ahead and ran on my own. It was slow.
Because of the standing around and walking, my hands were freezing (even with gloves on). I actually had to put them down my pants. They were over my tights, but under my sweatpants. That did the trick and warmed them up. I must have looked ridiculous running that way though. At least no one was on the trail.
I turned around and ran back to Flo. She was now near an intersection. I was a little over a mile into this portion of the run when I stopped my watch. I walked with her back into the woods. She went looking for some logs to chop and did that. I mostly stood there freezing and laughing. I did use a saw for about a grand total of a minute though.
The sun was starting to set and standing around it was getting very cold. I didn't want to bail on her, but I was getting close to needing to. I came prepared to run, but I didn't have enough clothes on to stand around. Finally, she was done with the chopping.
I took off and ran. I wanted to get my last 2 miles in. I ran to the road crossing again and then back to Mill Race Park. I ended up passing Flo and then waited for her to walk back when I was finished. It was good to be done with the tough weather run.
I'm glad I broke up the run into several segments and I got to be entertained by Flo too. That was a nice bonus. It made the cold a little more forgettable. Quite frankly, it wasn't that bad while running. It was far worse when not moving. I'd run in these conditions again if we get them.
I think the weather is supposed to improve some, but still suck tomorrow. I'd like to run hard, but we shall see. The weather will have an impact, as will my muscle soreness. Hopefully I recover from today better than I did from yesterday's run.
7 miles - 58:55 (8:25 pace)
3 miles - 30:35 (10:12 pace)
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
A Quick 20 Miles Against the Wind
The weather has been all over the map lately. It went from snow to freezing rain. Then it warmed up and went to rain. Then the winds came and now it is supposed to dip into record low territory tomorrow. It is making running difficult, but I continue to get out there and get it done. It will make me stronger in the end.
I wanted to run the loop around Easton. However, I was unsure if all the snow would be gone on those paved paths. The roads are fine, but that is because everything was plowed. A good portion of the snow is gone from the grass, but not all of it. I figured the paved trails could have patchy snow cover. I opted to do my long run around my neighborhoods.
I took an afternoon nap and didn't get out there until close to 4 PM. That meant that the beginning of the run would be in daylight and I'd end in darkness. I kind of like that mix. It changes everything.
The temperature wasn't bad, but the wind had arrived and boy did it arrive. Some directions it was at my back and nice. Other ways, it was in my face and freezing. Since wind was the main problem, I wore my jacket over my long sleeve shirt. That breaks the wind up better than my fleece vest does. My gloves were on most of the run, but my headband came on and off. It was kind of annoying.
I started off with a loop around my neighborhood. That was cold at times and took a little getting used to. I haven't put too many miles on my legs lately. Even so, they felt kind of crappy in the beginning. It was odd, but the early pace was rather quick. I opened with an 8:17 mile. That is my usual pace in the middle of runs, so I knew it would be a faster run.
My effort was still easy, although maybe I pushed a little more than I realized against the wind and the hills. I don't know though because I was definitely still at a conversational pace and not breathing heavy. I felt good. The run had gone into the other neighborhood by now. I started it with the short loop.
I couldn't help but notice that my miles were getting faster and faster. They went from 7:41 to 7:37 to 7:23 by mile 4. That was when I really got into a groove. I had run another shorter loop that I don't usually do. I needed all of the miles that I could get.
I went out and did this longer loop that I like. It was difficult because I ran into a headwind for a good portion of it. I battled on though and didn't lose my pace. It now was consistently around 7:20 per mile.
I am used to this route, but it does contain a long of rolling hills. I don't typically run anymore than 10 to 12 miles here. I cruised along and enjoyed when the wind was at my back. The good thing about this route is there are a lot of turns, so you are constantly changing directions and don't have to battle the wind for long periods of time.
I crossed the road and made the steepest climb of the run. At this point, I was around mile 6 or 7. It seemed like a long way to go. I went back and repeated the long loop from earlier. It is about 1.5 miles. It's a good addition to the route. I was still only at mile 9 when it started.
I was less than halfway done with the run, but things were getting tough. The hills and fighting the wind began to take its toll. My legs were sore and my back even began to get slightly sore. It was certainly more difficult that my usual flat long run routes.
The pace didn't dip though. Overall, it got closer and closer to 7:30. That was encouraging and helped me keep pushing at it. Getting over 10 miles was a plus. I couldn't believe how little time had passed for how far along I was.
I headed back toward the school. By now, it was starting to get dark and I was wearing dark clothes. I was glad that I would be home soon and could grab some water and most importantly, my headlamp. I ran the short loop for a second time. Those two loops were the only ones that I repeated throughout the run (aside from my own neighborhood ones).
I saw a couple people running and a few walkers, but most people were indoors. That was understandable with this weather. I'm not going to pass it up though.
I checked my watch right around the half marathon point and it was a 1:38 something. That's quite impressive for an easy effort, especially when my PR is a 1:33. I could destroy that right now.
I ran around part of my neighborhood again. I only did a shorter loop there this time. I got back to my house at a little over 14.5 miles. I was beat and badly needed a drink. My rest was very brief. I had run this segment at a 7:30 pace.
I knew keeping the pace up would be tough and I was happy to get in that many solid miles, so I backed off on my second go round. I could finish with a real easy 5+ miles. I went to the other neighborhood on the far side of the school.
This has one of the most difficult hills of the whole run. It is so long and gradual. Compacting the problem was that the wind was picking up and blowing right in my face. I'm not sure how I survived it. I took it one step at a time. My legs were fairly beat up and I didn't think I'd be able to run 20 miles. I figured I might stop at 18 miles or so. If that happened, so be it.
I continued on and was grateful to have a downhill. I usually like this part of the run, however the road through the industrial park was unusually busy. I guess a lot of people were taking their kids to karate classes or something. I had to be very mindful of traffic, even with a headlamp on.
I went out through the industrial park and turned around. I decided that rather than run back on the busy road, I'd take a loop through a new street with houses on it. That was a good option. I still had some climbing on the busy road though.
I was approaching mile 18 and this climb into the wind was so difficult. I was freezing and felt like I was being blown backward. Miles 17 and 18 had jumped up to over an 8 minute pace each. Still, I wasn't falling off the wagon too badly. I sure didn't feel great, but not terrible either.
After mile 18, I had a beautiful downhill. I knew that it was coming, so that kept me going on the uphill. I picked up my effort slightly on the downhill. I wanted to keep the overall pace under 7:40. It had slipped to 7:38. I ran mile 19 at 7:32. Clearly I still had something left.
I got back to my neighborhood with about a mile to go. I didn't want to run the big loop, so I opted for the slightly shorter loop and then followed that up with another even shorter loop to finish up. I was pushing more now, but not really breathing that hard yet. I could've given it more. I ran that final mile at 7:19.
With the hills and wind, it was a tough run. I was blown away by my speed. I've basically been running around 30 seconds per mile faster with the same effort than I was just a few weeks ago. Maybe that is the impact of all my big 70 mile weeks that I put in during December. I really can't wait to see what happens when the weather turns. I should be even faster. I feel like I'm going to crush my marathon goals.
Tomorrow is supposed to be super cold. I plan on being out there in the afternoon anyway. I'd like to run 15 miles again. That might depend on how cold it really is and how well I recover from today's run. I want to at least put in another 10 miles. That would have me off to a solid start for the week. It will be another big mileage week.
20 miles - 2:32:15 (7:37 pace)
I wanted to run the loop around Easton. However, I was unsure if all the snow would be gone on those paved paths. The roads are fine, but that is because everything was plowed. A good portion of the snow is gone from the grass, but not all of it. I figured the paved trails could have patchy snow cover. I opted to do my long run around my neighborhoods.
I took an afternoon nap and didn't get out there until close to 4 PM. That meant that the beginning of the run would be in daylight and I'd end in darkness. I kind of like that mix. It changes everything.
The temperature wasn't bad, but the wind had arrived and boy did it arrive. Some directions it was at my back and nice. Other ways, it was in my face and freezing. Since wind was the main problem, I wore my jacket over my long sleeve shirt. That breaks the wind up better than my fleece vest does. My gloves were on most of the run, but my headband came on and off. It was kind of annoying.
I started off with a loop around my neighborhood. That was cold at times and took a little getting used to. I haven't put too many miles on my legs lately. Even so, they felt kind of crappy in the beginning. It was odd, but the early pace was rather quick. I opened with an 8:17 mile. That is my usual pace in the middle of runs, so I knew it would be a faster run.
My effort was still easy, although maybe I pushed a little more than I realized against the wind and the hills. I don't know though because I was definitely still at a conversational pace and not breathing heavy. I felt good. The run had gone into the other neighborhood by now. I started it with the short loop.
I couldn't help but notice that my miles were getting faster and faster. They went from 7:41 to 7:37 to 7:23 by mile 4. That was when I really got into a groove. I had run another shorter loop that I don't usually do. I needed all of the miles that I could get.
I went out and did this longer loop that I like. It was difficult because I ran into a headwind for a good portion of it. I battled on though and didn't lose my pace. It now was consistently around 7:20 per mile.
I am used to this route, but it does contain a long of rolling hills. I don't typically run anymore than 10 to 12 miles here. I cruised along and enjoyed when the wind was at my back. The good thing about this route is there are a lot of turns, so you are constantly changing directions and don't have to battle the wind for long periods of time.
I crossed the road and made the steepest climb of the run. At this point, I was around mile 6 or 7. It seemed like a long way to go. I went back and repeated the long loop from earlier. It is about 1.5 miles. It's a good addition to the route. I was still only at mile 9 when it started.
I was less than halfway done with the run, but things were getting tough. The hills and fighting the wind began to take its toll. My legs were sore and my back even began to get slightly sore. It was certainly more difficult that my usual flat long run routes.
The pace didn't dip though. Overall, it got closer and closer to 7:30. That was encouraging and helped me keep pushing at it. Getting over 10 miles was a plus. I couldn't believe how little time had passed for how far along I was.
I headed back toward the school. By now, it was starting to get dark and I was wearing dark clothes. I was glad that I would be home soon and could grab some water and most importantly, my headlamp. I ran the short loop for a second time. Those two loops were the only ones that I repeated throughout the run (aside from my own neighborhood ones).
I saw a couple people running and a few walkers, but most people were indoors. That was understandable with this weather. I'm not going to pass it up though.
I checked my watch right around the half marathon point and it was a 1:38 something. That's quite impressive for an easy effort, especially when my PR is a 1:33. I could destroy that right now.
I ran around part of my neighborhood again. I only did a shorter loop there this time. I got back to my house at a little over 14.5 miles. I was beat and badly needed a drink. My rest was very brief. I had run this segment at a 7:30 pace.
I knew keeping the pace up would be tough and I was happy to get in that many solid miles, so I backed off on my second go round. I could finish with a real easy 5+ miles. I went to the other neighborhood on the far side of the school.
This has one of the most difficult hills of the whole run. It is so long and gradual. Compacting the problem was that the wind was picking up and blowing right in my face. I'm not sure how I survived it. I took it one step at a time. My legs were fairly beat up and I didn't think I'd be able to run 20 miles. I figured I might stop at 18 miles or so. If that happened, so be it.
I continued on and was grateful to have a downhill. I usually like this part of the run, however the road through the industrial park was unusually busy. I guess a lot of people were taking their kids to karate classes or something. I had to be very mindful of traffic, even with a headlamp on.
I went out through the industrial park and turned around. I decided that rather than run back on the busy road, I'd take a loop through a new street with houses on it. That was a good option. I still had some climbing on the busy road though.
I was approaching mile 18 and this climb into the wind was so difficult. I was freezing and felt like I was being blown backward. Miles 17 and 18 had jumped up to over an 8 minute pace each. Still, I wasn't falling off the wagon too badly. I sure didn't feel great, but not terrible either.
After mile 18, I had a beautiful downhill. I knew that it was coming, so that kept me going on the uphill. I picked up my effort slightly on the downhill. I wanted to keep the overall pace under 7:40. It had slipped to 7:38. I ran mile 19 at 7:32. Clearly I still had something left.
I got back to my neighborhood with about a mile to go. I didn't want to run the big loop, so I opted for the slightly shorter loop and then followed that up with another even shorter loop to finish up. I was pushing more now, but not really breathing that hard yet. I could've given it more. I ran that final mile at 7:19.
With the hills and wind, it was a tough run. I was blown away by my speed. I've basically been running around 30 seconds per mile faster with the same effort than I was just a few weeks ago. Maybe that is the impact of all my big 70 mile weeks that I put in during December. I really can't wait to see what happens when the weather turns. I should be even faster. I feel like I'm going to crush my marathon goals.
Tomorrow is supposed to be super cold. I plan on being out there in the afternoon anyway. I'd like to run 15 miles again. That might depend on how cold it really is and how well I recover from today's run. I want to at least put in another 10 miles. That would have me off to a solid start for the week. It will be another big mileage week.
20 miles - 2:32:15 (7:37 pace)
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Freezing Rain Run
Snowy, windy and cold runs have been the norm this winter. The only thing that has been missing has been a little freezing rain. We can check that off now today as well. I got home late from the Eagles game last night and slept in. That meant an early afternoon run.
The plan was to run at least 5 miles. Originally, I was hoping for 10 miles, but that was before the freezing rain arrived. I was actually driving out to the Ironton Rail Trail, but my windshield quickly froze up and I couldn't see, so I went back home to run.
I decided that I would run the neighborhoods around me. With the freezing rain, I wore a jacket instead of the fleece. I also had on a hat to keep the rain out of my eyes. The temperature wasn't too bad. It was just the eventual cold and wet combo that was a killer.
I began with the loop around my neighborhood. I was worried that it would be slick, but it wasn't too bad. Some spots I guess didn't have salt and they were slippery, but those were few and far between.
I crossed the road into the other neighborhood. I did a short loop around there. The first mile wasn't bad as I was still dry. That wouldn't last though. I got wet as the run went on.
I didn't want to go too far out, so I did another short loop that I don't often run. By the time both of those first 2 loops were complete, I was over halfway done with the run (2.5 mile). I decided to go out and run part of the Blue Eagle 5k course. I ran that until I got near the race's 2 mile point and then I turned around. By now, I'd be slightly around 4.5 miles when I got back to the school.
The tough thing was that my legs got cold when they were wet. The same thing happened last week and I stayed out too long, so I didn't want to chance it. With no wind it was find, but some directions, my legs became quite cold. I probably should have on a second layer on my legs for conditions like this.
I arrived back at the school with around half a mile to go. I thought about running to 6 miles, but figured 5 would be good enough. What was another mile going to accomplish. I figured I'd run again later in the evening anyway.
The pace was good. The first mile was around 8:30, but every other mile was under 8 minutes. Mile 4 was even a 7:29. I wasn't pushing much either.
I finished up with a short loop around my neighborhood. I was glad to battle some tough conditions and be done. It is quite amazing that I signed up for the Lake Effect Half Marathon and now we are having one of the worst winters that I can recall. This will make me tougher and prepared for that race. That is for sure.
Everything was frozen after the run. I couldn't even unzipped my jacket because it was covered in ice. My hat had a layer of ice on it too. I found it quite comical.
I wanted to do a 3 mile snowshoe run at night. I was only going to run around the schoolyard. However, I walked outside and it was raining again (after stopping earlier). I didn't want to deal with that again. I was hoping for a fun and relaxing run for a change. I passed on the snowshoe run. I'll leave that for another day.
I haven't run double digit mileage in a few days. I have to get back to that tomorrow. The weather should be nicer, so I'm hoping for a 20+ mile run. I may go to the Ironton Rail Trail since I at least know that that is plowed. I hope it isn't icy.
5 miles - 39:01 (7:38 pace)
The plan was to run at least 5 miles. Originally, I was hoping for 10 miles, but that was before the freezing rain arrived. I was actually driving out to the Ironton Rail Trail, but my windshield quickly froze up and I couldn't see, so I went back home to run.
I decided that I would run the neighborhoods around me. With the freezing rain, I wore a jacket instead of the fleece. I also had on a hat to keep the rain out of my eyes. The temperature wasn't too bad. It was just the eventual cold and wet combo that was a killer.
I began with the loop around my neighborhood. I was worried that it would be slick, but it wasn't too bad. Some spots I guess didn't have salt and they were slippery, but those were few and far between.
I crossed the road into the other neighborhood. I did a short loop around there. The first mile wasn't bad as I was still dry. That wouldn't last though. I got wet as the run went on.
I didn't want to go too far out, so I did another short loop that I don't often run. By the time both of those first 2 loops were complete, I was over halfway done with the run (2.5 mile). I decided to go out and run part of the Blue Eagle 5k course. I ran that until I got near the race's 2 mile point and then I turned around. By now, I'd be slightly around 4.5 miles when I got back to the school.
The tough thing was that my legs got cold when they were wet. The same thing happened last week and I stayed out too long, so I didn't want to chance it. With no wind it was find, but some directions, my legs became quite cold. I probably should have on a second layer on my legs for conditions like this.
I arrived back at the school with around half a mile to go. I thought about running to 6 miles, but figured 5 would be good enough. What was another mile going to accomplish. I figured I'd run again later in the evening anyway.
The pace was good. The first mile was around 8:30, but every other mile was under 8 minutes. Mile 4 was even a 7:29. I wasn't pushing much either.
I finished up with a short loop around my neighborhood. I was glad to battle some tough conditions and be done. It is quite amazing that I signed up for the Lake Effect Half Marathon and now we are having one of the worst winters that I can recall. This will make me tougher and prepared for that race. That is for sure.
Everything was frozen after the run. I couldn't even unzipped my jacket because it was covered in ice. My hat had a layer of ice on it too. I found it quite comical.
I wanted to do a 3 mile snowshoe run at night. I was only going to run around the schoolyard. However, I walked outside and it was raining again (after stopping earlier). I didn't want to deal with that again. I was hoping for a fun and relaxing run for a change. I passed on the snowshoe run. I'll leave that for another day.
I haven't run double digit mileage in a few days. I have to get back to that tomorrow. The weather should be nicer, so I'm hoping for a 20+ mile run. I may go to the Ironton Rail Trail since I at least know that that is plowed. I hope it isn't icy.
5 miles - 39:01 (7:38 pace)
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Slightly Warmer
The snow yesterday was bad enough for us runners, but then it was followed up last night and today by bitter cold. They were some of the lowest temperatures ever. It was actually below zero degrees and that didn't even include the windchill.
With those temperatures and the lack of good places to run, I ended up passing up on the BCR run this morning. I did kind of miss it because part of me wanted to run in those crazy temperatures. I also didn't sleep well last night, so that was another reason to pass it up. Props to those that were out there though. It definitely looked crazy.
Originally, I was planning on about 10 miles. Then when I saw the roads were still a little mess, I decided to cut it back to 5 miles. That would give me over 40 miles for the week. I passed on the 50k that I was signed up for this morning. I didn't want to battle snow conditions and end up injuring myself.
Because I saw everyone's facebook posts earlier in the morning, I went out for my run overdressed. I wore my jacket over top of my vest and long sleeve shirt. That was too much. The temperature still was only about 11 degrees out, but the sun was blazing and it wasn't windy.
I started off with a loop around my neighborhood. As usual, my eyes watered early on from the cold. The only difference was that they never stopped watering. The sun was so bright and combined with the snow, I had to squint all run long.
There were patches of snow here and there, but the road was very runnable. The wind was minimal, but you could feel the air was cold in a few directions. I cruised along. I had no idea what my pace was and I didn't care.
I decided after the first mile loop that I would head to the other neighborhood and I'd run the Blue Eagle 5k course. I'd then end with a shorter loop around my neighborhood.
I ended up running all over the road. Sometimes in the middle, sometimes on the side. It all depended on where I could find clean pavement. I only slipped once or twice. I had to watch for cars, but thankfully there weren't many out there.
Around 2.5 miles, I opened up both my jacket and vest. I felt some chafing issues potentially coming on and I didn't want to run into that problem. The cool air on my base layer was surprisingly refreshing and I didn't close my jacket or vest again.
I didn't even notice my pace at all until I got to mile 3.25. I looked down and was amazed that it was a 7:55 at the time. I figured I was going slow and likely running in the upper 8 minute range. This was faster than I usually am running on easy runs and I didn't put much effort into it.
I was thrilled to get to mile 4. I was amazed to see it was a 7:27 mile. The legs weren't feeling terrible at this point, but they definitely weren't sharp either. The uphills were a little tough.
I knew I'd have about half a mile to go when I got back to my neighborhood. That was almost dead on what I had remaining. I did the short loop around there to finish up. In the first loop earlier on a dog on its leash wanted a piece of me, but this time I had a peaceful finish.
It was a solid run to end a productive week. I had a great race to end the year, a fun LVRR group run to start the New Year and my first snowshoe run. Cutting my mileage this week will probably be better in the long term. I'll get back to big miles next week. I may run hills with a friend tomorrow and I'll also likely go for another snowshoe run. It should be fun.
5 miles - 38:42 (7:44 pace)
With those temperatures and the lack of good places to run, I ended up passing up on the BCR run this morning. I did kind of miss it because part of me wanted to run in those crazy temperatures. I also didn't sleep well last night, so that was another reason to pass it up. Props to those that were out there though. It definitely looked crazy.
Originally, I was planning on about 10 miles. Then when I saw the roads were still a little mess, I decided to cut it back to 5 miles. That would give me over 40 miles for the week. I passed on the 50k that I was signed up for this morning. I didn't want to battle snow conditions and end up injuring myself.
Because I saw everyone's facebook posts earlier in the morning, I went out for my run overdressed. I wore my jacket over top of my vest and long sleeve shirt. That was too much. The temperature still was only about 11 degrees out, but the sun was blazing and it wasn't windy.
I started off with a loop around my neighborhood. As usual, my eyes watered early on from the cold. The only difference was that they never stopped watering. The sun was so bright and combined with the snow, I had to squint all run long.
There were patches of snow here and there, but the road was very runnable. The wind was minimal, but you could feel the air was cold in a few directions. I cruised along. I had no idea what my pace was and I didn't care.
I decided after the first mile loop that I would head to the other neighborhood and I'd run the Blue Eagle 5k course. I'd then end with a shorter loop around my neighborhood.
I ended up running all over the road. Sometimes in the middle, sometimes on the side. It all depended on where I could find clean pavement. I only slipped once or twice. I had to watch for cars, but thankfully there weren't many out there.
Around 2.5 miles, I opened up both my jacket and vest. I felt some chafing issues potentially coming on and I didn't want to run into that problem. The cool air on my base layer was surprisingly refreshing and I didn't close my jacket or vest again.
I didn't even notice my pace at all until I got to mile 3.25. I looked down and was amazed that it was a 7:55 at the time. I figured I was going slow and likely running in the upper 8 minute range. This was faster than I usually am running on easy runs and I didn't put much effort into it.
I was thrilled to get to mile 4. I was amazed to see it was a 7:27 mile. The legs weren't feeling terrible at this point, but they definitely weren't sharp either. The uphills were a little tough.
I knew I'd have about half a mile to go when I got back to my neighborhood. That was almost dead on what I had remaining. I did the short loop around there to finish up. In the first loop earlier on a dog on its leash wanted a piece of me, but this time I had a peaceful finish.
It was a solid run to end a productive week. I had a great race to end the year, a fun LVRR group run to start the New Year and my first snowshoe run. Cutting my mileage this week will probably be better in the long term. I'll get back to big miles next week. I may run hills with a friend tomorrow and I'll also likely go for another snowshoe run. It should be fun.
5 miles - 38:42 (7:44 pace)
Friday, January 3, 2014
First True Snowshoe Run
I tested out the snowshoes that I got for Christmas last night. That was only a brief mile run though. Today, I wanted to do more of a real run. The roads were a mess anyway, so running in the snowshoes was the best option.
I decided I would start by keeping it easy. I'd just run a 5k at Jacobsburg. I haven't been there in some time. I was glad that they plowed the parking lots. It was supposed to be pretty cold and windy, but for whatever reason, it was kind of nice there. I had on a face mask and a jacket over my vest and regular top. Not all of those layers were needed though.
The biggest key to this run was to make sure I put on the snowshoes correctly. Last night, they were loose and came undone. Today, I figured out how to secure them and it worked out very well.
According to the park map you aren't supposed to use the trail down by the creek for cross country skiing, so I assumed the same thing for snowshoe running. That area is overused and can get icy in the winter time anyway. Instead, I walked across the street from the parking lot to the trail.
I secured my shoes and began to go. The problem with starting here is that it is a tough uphill to begin. Not the ideal way to begin my first snowshoe run. It is what it is though.
I went nice and easy. I didn't know how taxing this would be, especially since my snowshoes are kind of big and made for hiking, not running. It went pretty well, even though it was a slow go.
The run was so peaceful and relaxing. It was beautiful out there on the snow covered trails, especially with the sun shining brightly. Almost no on had been on the trails yet either. I was blazing the way.
The run was harder than a normal run, but not too difficult. It just seemed to take awhile until I got to the end of the first mile. Crossing over the creek on the bridge was really cool. It was such amazing scenery.
This section has small hills, but nothing too bad. The only thing that was bothering me was that the bottom of my feet were getting sore on the uphill parts of the run. I often have this problem when running trails in normal conditions, so that was no surprise. It could limit how far I run in the future though.
I was running out of trail options and I was only out a little over a mile into the run. I decided to run through a narrower singletrack section. This taught me an important lesson. I need to run in snowshoes on smooth trails. I didn't see the rocks hidden under the snow and often stepped on them awkwardly and twisted my ankle. That was very uncomfortable.
I didn't last too long in this section. I decided it was smarter to go back and run on the smoother sections. Any time I found a short out and back opportunity, I used it to add mileage.
I brought my GoPro with me to take photos. On the way back, I was able to get some cool photos of my snowshoe prints from the way out. I didn't run in those, I started a second set. Some of this time going back was difficult. There was more uphill and I was breathing heavily and my foot was hurting. I recovered soon enough once I got to the flats and downhill portions of the route.
I was thrilled to get past mile 2. When I had the chance, I took an upper route to the red barn. That wasn't too difficult and allowed me to add about half a mile to run. I'd now be close to 3 miles when I finished up.
I retraced my path and headed back toward the start. Now, I had about half a mile to go and I was cruising. My pace was quite consistent throughout. It was right around a 10:30. Hopefully in my lighter running snowshoes, I'll be even faster.
I twisted my ankle a few more times, but I never fell. I had a blast with the run. I got to the end of the trail around the 3 mile point. I ran back out very briefly before finishing up.
This was an awesome run and I can't wait to do it again. It was refreshing after a lot of cold boring miles on pavement recently. The workout was solid too. I was definitely more beat than a normal easy effort 5k, but it wasn't too taxing because it was still a short run. I can't wait to run in snowshoes again and I really can't wait until I get my new Dion ones. Hopefully they will come next week.
Tomorrow, I want to get back onto pavement before the Eagles game. It is supposed to be one of the coldest nights ever tonight, so I'm not sure that I'm going to run with the BCR early in the morning. I may run on my own later in the morning. Either way, it should be a nice way to finish the week. Sunday I'm hoping to run some hills and maybe use the snowshoes again later on in the day.
3.1 miles - 32:32 (10:30 pace)
I decided I would start by keeping it easy. I'd just run a 5k at Jacobsburg. I haven't been there in some time. I was glad that they plowed the parking lots. It was supposed to be pretty cold and windy, but for whatever reason, it was kind of nice there. I had on a face mask and a jacket over my vest and regular top. Not all of those layers were needed though.The biggest key to this run was to make sure I put on the snowshoes correctly. Last night, they were loose and came undone. Today, I figured out how to secure them and it worked out very well.
According to the park map you aren't supposed to use the trail down by the creek for cross country skiing, so I assumed the same thing for snowshoe running. That area is overused and can get icy in the winter time anyway. Instead, I walked across the street from the parking lot to the trail.
I secured my shoes and began to go. The problem with starting here is that it is a tough uphill to begin. Not the ideal way to begin my first snowshoe run. It is what it is though.
I went nice and easy. I didn't know how taxing this would be, especially since my snowshoes are kind of big and made for hiking, not running. It went pretty well, even though it was a slow go.
The run was so peaceful and relaxing. It was beautiful out there on the snow covered trails, especially with the sun shining brightly. Almost no on had been on the trails yet either. I was blazing the way.
The run was harder than a normal run, but not too difficult. It just seemed to take awhile until I got to the end of the first mile. Crossing over the creek on the bridge was really cool. It was such amazing scenery.
This section has small hills, but nothing too bad. The only thing that was bothering me was that the bottom of my feet were getting sore on the uphill parts of the run. I often have this problem when running trails in normal conditions, so that was no surprise. It could limit how far I run in the future though.I was running out of trail options and I was only out a little over a mile into the run. I decided to run through a narrower singletrack section. This taught me an important lesson. I need to run in snowshoes on smooth trails. I didn't see the rocks hidden under the snow and often stepped on them awkwardly and twisted my ankle. That was very uncomfortable.
I didn't last too long in this section. I decided it was smarter to go back and run on the smoother sections. Any time I found a short out and back opportunity, I used it to add mileage.
I brought my GoPro with me to take photos. On the way back, I was able to get some cool photos of my snowshoe prints from the way out. I didn't run in those, I started a second set. Some of this time going back was difficult. There was more uphill and I was breathing heavily and my foot was hurting. I recovered soon enough once I got to the flats and downhill portions of the route.
I was thrilled to get past mile 2. When I had the chance, I took an upper route to the red barn. That wasn't too difficult and allowed me to add about half a mile to run. I'd now be close to 3 miles when I finished up.
I retraced my path and headed back toward the start. Now, I had about half a mile to go and I was cruising. My pace was quite consistent throughout. It was right around a 10:30. Hopefully in my lighter running snowshoes, I'll be even faster.
I twisted my ankle a few more times, but I never fell. I had a blast with the run. I got to the end of the trail around the 3 mile point. I ran back out very briefly before finishing up.
Tomorrow, I want to get back onto pavement before the Eagles game. It is supposed to be one of the coldest nights ever tonight, so I'm not sure that I'm going to run with the BCR early in the morning. I may run on my own later in the morning. Either way, it should be a nice way to finish the week. Sunday I'm hoping to run some hills and maybe use the snowshoes again later on in the day.
3.1 miles - 32:32 (10:30 pace)
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Super Cold Ironton Rail Trail Run and First Snowshoe Mile
I had to make sure to get my run in before the snow started today. Rather than relax in the afternoon, I grabbed lunch at work and headed to the nearby Ironton Rail Trail. The plan was to run one loop around there and add a little distance to get to 6 miles.
Today was right up there with the worst days of winter thus far. It has been cold many days, but few days have had the wind quite like today. If I had to guess, I'd say it was about 15 MPH. I dressed in the usual gear and was even a little chilly with the fleece vest on.
This is a great route to run. It is an old rail trail around neighborhoods and they have a lot of cool markers that are reminders of its railroad past. There are a few parks next to it and also some nature trails. It is a nice setting. Plus, it isn't your standard flat rail trail. It has elevation change and it is a loop, rather than an out and back.
I haven't run on this trail in quite some time. I think perhaps the last time was an awful day just like this last year, right before a snowstorm too. In fact, during that run, it was snowing a bit. I also ran with the BCR last winter when it was ice covered. It is a place I should get to more often in the summer.
The run started off with a nice downhill. It was also with the wind at my back, so it felt great. That wouldn't last. Before long, I had turned the corner and had a headwind in my face. The first mile was an 8:36. That's a little faster than I usually start off at.
I cruised along. I didn't feel as though I was running hard early on, but I may have been pushing it just a bit more against the wind. It was a lonely day out there. I saw 3 or 4 people walking dogs, but that was it. There were no other runners or cyclists. One guy that I passed later on was walking by himself.
The frustrating thing about this run is it seemed like the wind was never at my back. I knew it would be at its worst as I ran along the river. I was correct, although it actually didn't get much worse. It sucked the whole time.
After the first mile, every other mile was well under 8 minutes. My breathing did labor a little, but that was more due to the wind. I clicked off some nice miles and enjoyed myself as much as I could.
Most of the run was flat, so I felt pretty good. I knew I'd have a challenging uphill after Saylor Park. In that final 1.5 miles, I pushed a bit. I ran 6:54 and 6:47 for the final 2 miles. That was fun. On the uphill, there was a cop car driving on the trail. That was kind of weird, but I remember seeing them do that before.
When I got to the top of the hill, I didn't want to go downhill and back up again, so I ran on the sidewalk through a neighborhood. That was a nice flat out and back. I was at about 5.9 miles when I got back to the parking lot, so I flew downhill to finish up. It was a productive end to a solid run.
I got snowshoes for Christmas. They are made more for walking, so I bought a more running specific kind. Those haven't come yet, so I used the walking ones tonight. I went out when we had about 2 inches and I started to run in them.
I thought this would be quite hard and take some getting used to. It was a good workout, but actually easier than I suspected. I guess it would be harder if I wasn't as fit as I am or if I didn't start running slow.
The plan was just a short mile or two run in the dark in the schoolyard next to my house. That has a little elevation change too, for some added fun. I put the snowshoes on and walked briefly before trying to run.
Running wasn't too difficult. I cruised around behind the school at a comfortable pace. It might get harder when the snow gets deeper. I guess I'll find out soon.
After a half mile, I looked at my watch and my pace was slightly under 11 minutes. Obviously slower than my running pace, but not too bad for my first time out and without much effort. Add in that these snowshoes weren't made for running either.
As I closed in on three quarters of a mile, I decided to see what it was like to actually run hard in these things. I pushed the pace and it wasn't long before I encountered a problem. I realized that my straps weren't tight. I sort of suspected this when I put them on in the dark. I'm not quite sure how to really secure them. I'll look more closely during the daytime.
My foot fell out of the shoes and I had to readjust them. That worked for awhile, but I kept sliding out of the straps, even when I ran slower. I figured I would simply run until a mile was complete and then call it quits for the evening. It was only a short test run anyway.
For some reason a car pulled into the parking lot and was driving around the school. I'm not sure why. It wasn't a cop car. Maybe they were wondering what the heck I was doing. I had slipped out of my snowshoes around this time and I didn't stop my watch when putting them back on. Therefore, I'm not sure what my actual pace was and how much time I lost doing this.
I did enjoy the run and can't wait to run in snowshoes again. I'm going to try again tomorrow in fact. Hopefully I can go 2 or 3 miles and try somewhere different, like maybe Jacobsburg. That could be fun. I can't wait until my Dion Snowshoes arrive and I can test out the difference. I'm likely going to sign up for the PA State Snowshoe Championships next month and apparently it is quite easy to qualify for the National Championship from there.
Tomorrow will probably only be a snowshoe run. I'm not sure about Saturday. That was supposed to be a 50k, but I doubt I'll run that and I may not even drop down to a shorter race there. I guess I'll decide sometime tomorrow after the snow stops.
6 miles - 44:47 (7:28 pace)
Snowshoe Run 1 mile - 11:42 (11:42 pace)
Today was right up there with the worst days of winter thus far. It has been cold many days, but few days have had the wind quite like today. If I had to guess, I'd say it was about 15 MPH. I dressed in the usual gear and was even a little chilly with the fleece vest on.
This is a great route to run. It is an old rail trail around neighborhoods and they have a lot of cool markers that are reminders of its railroad past. There are a few parks next to it and also some nature trails. It is a nice setting. Plus, it isn't your standard flat rail trail. It has elevation change and it is a loop, rather than an out and back.
I haven't run on this trail in quite some time. I think perhaps the last time was an awful day just like this last year, right before a snowstorm too. In fact, during that run, it was snowing a bit. I also ran with the BCR last winter when it was ice covered. It is a place I should get to more often in the summer.
The run started off with a nice downhill. It was also with the wind at my back, so it felt great. That wouldn't last. Before long, I had turned the corner and had a headwind in my face. The first mile was an 8:36. That's a little faster than I usually start off at.
I cruised along. I didn't feel as though I was running hard early on, but I may have been pushing it just a bit more against the wind. It was a lonely day out there. I saw 3 or 4 people walking dogs, but that was it. There were no other runners or cyclists. One guy that I passed later on was walking by himself.
The frustrating thing about this run is it seemed like the wind was never at my back. I knew it would be at its worst as I ran along the river. I was correct, although it actually didn't get much worse. It sucked the whole time.
After the first mile, every other mile was well under 8 minutes. My breathing did labor a little, but that was more due to the wind. I clicked off some nice miles and enjoyed myself as much as I could.
Most of the run was flat, so I felt pretty good. I knew I'd have a challenging uphill after Saylor Park. In that final 1.5 miles, I pushed a bit. I ran 6:54 and 6:47 for the final 2 miles. That was fun. On the uphill, there was a cop car driving on the trail. That was kind of weird, but I remember seeing them do that before.
When I got to the top of the hill, I didn't want to go downhill and back up again, so I ran on the sidewalk through a neighborhood. That was a nice flat out and back. I was at about 5.9 miles when I got back to the parking lot, so I flew downhill to finish up. It was a productive end to a solid run.
I got snowshoes for Christmas. They are made more for walking, so I bought a more running specific kind. Those haven't come yet, so I used the walking ones tonight. I went out when we had about 2 inches and I started to run in them.
I thought this would be quite hard and take some getting used to. It was a good workout, but actually easier than I suspected. I guess it would be harder if I wasn't as fit as I am or if I didn't start running slow.
The plan was just a short mile or two run in the dark in the schoolyard next to my house. That has a little elevation change too, for some added fun. I put the snowshoes on and walked briefly before trying to run.
Running wasn't too difficult. I cruised around behind the school at a comfortable pace. It might get harder when the snow gets deeper. I guess I'll find out soon.
After a half mile, I looked at my watch and my pace was slightly under 11 minutes. Obviously slower than my running pace, but not too bad for my first time out and without much effort. Add in that these snowshoes weren't made for running either.
As I closed in on three quarters of a mile, I decided to see what it was like to actually run hard in these things. I pushed the pace and it wasn't long before I encountered a problem. I realized that my straps weren't tight. I sort of suspected this when I put them on in the dark. I'm not quite sure how to really secure them. I'll look more closely during the daytime.
My foot fell out of the shoes and I had to readjust them. That worked for awhile, but I kept sliding out of the straps, even when I ran slower. I figured I would simply run until a mile was complete and then call it quits for the evening. It was only a short test run anyway.
For some reason a car pulled into the parking lot and was driving around the school. I'm not sure why. It wasn't a cop car. Maybe they were wondering what the heck I was doing. I had slipped out of my snowshoes around this time and I didn't stop my watch when putting them back on. Therefore, I'm not sure what my actual pace was and how much time I lost doing this.
I did enjoy the run and can't wait to run in snowshoes again. I'm going to try again tomorrow in fact. Hopefully I can go 2 or 3 miles and try somewhere different, like maybe Jacobsburg. That could be fun. I can't wait until my Dion Snowshoes arrive and I can test out the difference. I'm likely going to sign up for the PA State Snowshoe Championships next month and apparently it is quite easy to qualify for the National Championship from there.
Tomorrow will probably only be a snowshoe run. I'm not sure about Saturday. That was supposed to be a 50k, but I doubt I'll run that and I may not even drop down to a shorter race there. I guess I'll decide sometime tomorrow after the snow stops.
6 miles - 44:47 (7:28 pace)
Snowshoe Run 1 mile - 11:42 (11:42 pace)
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Looking Ahead to 2014 and LVRR New Year's Run
2013 was an up and down year. It ended on a great upswing and I'm thrilled with where I'm at. Whether the year ends on a high or low, you need to turn the page. It is like the Eagles have been saying all year. Win or lose, forget about the game after 24 hours. I can't be satisfied. I have to build on where I am and have an even better 2014. To do that, one word stands out to me, consistency. I already am doing a lot of training, I just need to remain consistent and stay healthy now. I'll build some, but not much.
I have some pretty strong goals that I want to achieve in 2014. First and foremost, I want to run a sub 3 hour marathon and qualify for Boston. Once I knock out that goal, I want to run for my first 50 miler. Hopefully that will come in the summer or fall. Of course I'd like to PR at every race distance. The hardest one to do will be the 5k, which is 18:40. That said, I want to crush that. I want to run a sub 18 minute 5k, perhaps even better depending on how much progress I make. I signed up for the Super Bowl 10k in a little over a month, I want to push myself to try to run sub 39 minutes. At the very least, I want to break 40 minutes.
It isn't just times that are important. I want to regularly run 70+ miles a week throughout the year. I'm not looking to bump up too much. Maybe I'd like to build into the 80s by the end of the year. I also want to run my first 100+ mile week at some point and see how I can handle that. In 2013, I ran over 1600 miles. That was with a very slow start and a lot of biking that I didn't count. I want to be more aggressive with my total mileage goal for this year. I want to run over 3,000 miles. That is tough (around 60 miles per week), but it is certainly doable if I remain healthy.
I think it is also important to give back. I know at some point, I want to coach. I've talked to a few friends about possibly coaching them. Even if I don't actually coach anyone per say, I want to help friends achieve 5 of their goals for the year. If I can do more, even better.
For now, I'm doing great with the way I'm training. I'm running a lot of long slow miles, with an occasional fast run mixed in. I have no training plan. That said, as I improve, I'll eventually have to develop more structure to my training. I'll have to have a true speedwork game plan. It would be a huge help to have someone to do hard workouts with too. For now though, I'm going to stick with what got me to where I am at.
Today was a fun way to start the New Year. The LVRR had a bunch of events. First off, a bunch of people ran through the freezing cold water of the creek by the clubhouse. I went and took photos. Since I was out there, I decided to join them for the group run to the top of the hill in Emmaus. It was a 5 mile loop. After that, they had a bunch at a nearby firehouse. That was a fun way to socialize with friends.
The run apparently used to be a competitive race between two clubs. That is what one of the guys told me anyway. Now, it was in between a race and a fun group run. I didn't plan to run hard. I brought my GoPro and wanted to get some photos and have fun.
I ran near the front and stopped early to get photos. Eventually, I passed a few people and was back with the 2 guys up front. I was actually behind them for awhile, until I picked it up a little to catch them. The first mile was a 7:42. That wasn't too hard, but it got me breathing a little.
I ran with the 2 guys for awhile. We all got to the hill. It was a good climb. I've done worse, but the tricky thing was not knowing how long the hill was. I couldn't quite keep up with the fastest guy up the hill, but I passed the other guy. He had run it before though, so he had the advantage of knowing where we were going. He passed me back near the top.
I was back a little bit by then, but not too far. I recovered fairly well. I saw the water/champagne stop at the top of the hill. The guys went through it, but I stopped for water and to take some more photos. I was in no rush. Originally, I kind of thought the whole group would stop there and hangout, but obviously that was not the case. I took a few pictures and let some people go by. I thought I waited a couple minutes, but based on my time, I figure that it was only about a minute.
I assumed that most of the remaining run was downhill. Therefore, I decided to take off and have some fun. I wanted to see if I could pass people. I thought there were a bunch of people in front of me, but I guess it was actually only 3. I caught the first guy somewhere between half a mile and three quarters of a mile from the top. He seemed surprised, especially with the way I blew by him.
At this point, I thought I was chasing at least 2 other runners and then the 2 guys up front. I thought I could get the first 2, but not the last pair. It turned out that I was only chasing the leaders. I flew downhill. I pushed and pushed and pushed.
I was having fun, but I couldn't see anyone up ahead. I was about to slow down and quit the crazy pace. Then at about 3.75 miles, I finally saw them in front of me on the downhill section. I had to push and push now. Mile 4 ended up being a super fast 6:02. Of course that was with taking advantage of the downhill.
I gained ground, but not as much as I thought I would. As I got closer, I realized it was the 2 leaders. That explained why it was taking a little longer to reel them in. I never thought I'd even get close to them. I passed a few of the slower people on the 5k route. I was breathing heavy by now.
I knew I was running out of time. The one guy stopped at the corner and I chased the other guy a little. I ran out of distance though. I also apparently turned at the wrong spot. You were supposed to run the loop in the park. Instead, I took the first road and went back near the parking area. It wasn't a race though, so it didn't matter. I ran an out and back until I got to mile 5.
Even with a stop at the top, the run was quite fast. I didn't stop my watch at all. The overall pace was a 7:21. My running pace might've even been under 7 minutes. I didn't plan on that fast of a run, but I was having fun chasing down the rabbits.
Tomorrow will probably be another easy run. I'm still unsure about the 50k on Saturday. It is supposed to snow tomorrow and that could throw a wrench in my plans. I'm hoping the storm doesn't bring too much. I'm also planning on a hill workout at the Fish Hatchery tomorrow evening. Hopefully the weather isn't too bad for that.
5 miles - 36:45 (7:21 pace)
I have some pretty strong goals that I want to achieve in 2014. First and foremost, I want to run a sub 3 hour marathon and qualify for Boston. Once I knock out that goal, I want to run for my first 50 miler. Hopefully that will come in the summer or fall. Of course I'd like to PR at every race distance. The hardest one to do will be the 5k, which is 18:40. That said, I want to crush that. I want to run a sub 18 minute 5k, perhaps even better depending on how much progress I make. I signed up for the Super Bowl 10k in a little over a month, I want to push myself to try to run sub 39 minutes. At the very least, I want to break 40 minutes.It isn't just times that are important. I want to regularly run 70+ miles a week throughout the year. I'm not looking to bump up too much. Maybe I'd like to build into the 80s by the end of the year. I also want to run my first 100+ mile week at some point and see how I can handle that. In 2013, I ran over 1600 miles. That was with a very slow start and a lot of biking that I didn't count. I want to be more aggressive with my total mileage goal for this year. I want to run over 3,000 miles. That is tough (around 60 miles per week), but it is certainly doable if I remain healthy.
I think it is also important to give back. I know at some point, I want to coach. I've talked to a few friends about possibly coaching them. Even if I don't actually coach anyone per say, I want to help friends achieve 5 of their goals for the year. If I can do more, even better.
For now, I'm doing great with the way I'm training. I'm running a lot of long slow miles, with an occasional fast run mixed in. I have no training plan. That said, as I improve, I'll eventually have to develop more structure to my training. I'll have to have a true speedwork game plan. It would be a huge help to have someone to do hard workouts with too. For now though, I'm going to stick with what got me to where I am at.
Today was a fun way to start the New Year. The LVRR had a bunch of events. First off, a bunch of people ran through the freezing cold water of the creek by the clubhouse. I went and took photos. Since I was out there, I decided to join them for the group run to the top of the hill in Emmaus. It was a 5 mile loop. After that, they had a bunch at a nearby firehouse. That was a fun way to socialize with friends.
The run apparently used to be a competitive race between two clubs. That is what one of the guys told me anyway. Now, it was in between a race and a fun group run. I didn't plan to run hard. I brought my GoPro and wanted to get some photos and have fun.
I ran near the front and stopped early to get photos. Eventually, I passed a few people and was back with the 2 guys up front. I was actually behind them for awhile, until I picked it up a little to catch them. The first mile was a 7:42. That wasn't too hard, but it got me breathing a little.
I ran with the 2 guys for awhile. We all got to the hill. It was a good climb. I've done worse, but the tricky thing was not knowing how long the hill was. I couldn't quite keep up with the fastest guy up the hill, but I passed the other guy. He had run it before though, so he had the advantage of knowing where we were going. He passed me back near the top.
I was back a little bit by then, but not too far. I recovered fairly well. I saw the water/champagne stop at the top of the hill. The guys went through it, but I stopped for water and to take some more photos. I was in no rush. Originally, I kind of thought the whole group would stop there and hangout, but obviously that was not the case. I took a few pictures and let some people go by. I thought I waited a couple minutes, but based on my time, I figure that it was only about a minute.
I assumed that most of the remaining run was downhill. Therefore, I decided to take off and have some fun. I wanted to see if I could pass people. I thought there were a bunch of people in front of me, but I guess it was actually only 3. I caught the first guy somewhere between half a mile and three quarters of a mile from the top. He seemed surprised, especially with the way I blew by him.
At this point, I thought I was chasing at least 2 other runners and then the 2 guys up front. I thought I could get the first 2, but not the last pair. It turned out that I was only chasing the leaders. I flew downhill. I pushed and pushed and pushed.
I was having fun, but I couldn't see anyone up ahead. I was about to slow down and quit the crazy pace. Then at about 3.75 miles, I finally saw them in front of me on the downhill section. I had to push and push now. Mile 4 ended up being a super fast 6:02. Of course that was with taking advantage of the downhill.
I gained ground, but not as much as I thought I would. As I got closer, I realized it was the 2 leaders. That explained why it was taking a little longer to reel them in. I never thought I'd even get close to them. I passed a few of the slower people on the 5k route. I was breathing heavy by now.
I knew I was running out of time. The one guy stopped at the corner and I chased the other guy a little. I ran out of distance though. I also apparently turned at the wrong spot. You were supposed to run the loop in the park. Instead, I took the first road and went back near the parking area. It wasn't a race though, so it didn't matter. I ran an out and back until I got to mile 5.
Even with a stop at the top, the run was quite fast. I didn't stop my watch at all. The overall pace was a 7:21. My running pace might've even been under 7 minutes. I didn't plan on that fast of a run, but I was having fun chasing down the rabbits.
Tomorrow will probably be another easy run. I'm still unsure about the 50k on Saturday. It is supposed to snow tomorrow and that could throw a wrench in my plans. I'm hoping the storm doesn't bring too much. I'm also planning on a hill workout at the Fish Hatchery tomorrow evening. Hopefully the weather isn't too bad for that.
5 miles - 36:45 (7:21 pace)
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