It's Halloween today. Originally, I was going to head up to the Delaware Water Gap to get in a nice run amongst the leaves and colors of fall. Then, Aaron setup a night run at Bear Creek at the last minute. I'm always up for a night run, so I did that instead. It worked out well since today was a gloomy day anyway. I'll head up north next week.
There were 6 of us running the loop (Aaron, Dorf, Wayne, Ron and his wife Jo and myself). I haven't been to Bear Creek in so long. I do like it there, but it's quite a drive for me. I think the last time I was there was last summer. It's not an easy place to run as you climb up the trail along the mountain to the top of the ski slope.
It was drizzling at the start. I wasn't sure if it would rain, so I went with a long sleeve shirt. Short sleeves probably would've been better as it was pretty hot and humid. I was soaked by the end of the run, but from sweat, not rain.
Aaron usually flies ahead of everyone on these runs. He is so awesome on trails. I stayed behind him and Wayne. I always have trouble getting through the flat beginning part because it goes through the disc golf course. I was glad that Aaron was leading the way or I might've been lost.
The run was certainly challenging. This trail is very rocky and full of leaves and tonight they were both wet. Add to that the darkness of night and the fact that my headlamp isn't that strong and things were interesting. Thankfully, I didn't fall.
Some of the beginning of the run is nice because it doesn't climb too much. You get a little bit of a warmup before the hard stuff. Aaron, Wayne and I stayed together for some time and chatted. Once we started some of the good climbing, Wayne told me to go ahead. He just completed a big triathlon recently and wasn't looking to do much. Dorf, Ron and Jo were back farther.
I got some new trail shoes and was breaking them in during this run. They did well, although these weren't the best conditions to run in. My foot was a little sore on the uphills. Overall, I did quite well with the climbs today. Only in one really steep section did I walk at all and that was very brief.
Aaron got far ahead of me during the climbs. Every now and then, he would stop and wait. I've been lost there during the day, so I was glad I didn't get too lost at night. Once, I jumped over a log and realized that that was where the trail turned. Another time, I missed a turn and was near a picnic table. I wasn't off the trail too far before I found my way back.
After the steepest section. It gets easy for some time before the final steep climb. I saw a headlamp one time and thought it was Aaron's. I was running in the opposite direction and started to worry. Then, I figured that it was just someone behind me. The tricky thing about following the trail is that it isn't marked much and with all the leaves, the path can be hard to follow.
I was happy to finally make it to the top. I wish I knew how long it took me to get there, but I didn't start my watch until sometime after the first half mile or so. Aaron and Wayne were waiting at the top. Wayne took a short cut.
From the top, the remainder of the run is almost all downhill. It has a few switchbacks and for the most part is flat and fast. It isn't as technical as the other side. Aaron told me that he does his trail speedwork runs here. That is something I need to do in the future. I usually just run easy on trails.
The downhills were somewhat fun. Aaron just took off on me. I went at a decent clip though. After it was smooth for some time, all of a sudden I came to a very rocky section. I was lucky not to trip there since I couldn't slow down. I made it through.
Shortly after the fast section, I saw Aaron up ahead waiting. We ran together most of the way through the end, although he pulled away late. That was good because I often get lost in the last section too. Actually, I have more trouble trying to run this section in the other direction and find the main trail.
We finished up and Wayne was already there. He took a short cut again. Dorf, Ron and Jo arrived a few minutes later. We all hung out and chatted for some time. We talked about ultra running mostly. They all are doing the run in Jim Thorpe this weekend too. I was actually the first one to leave after an hour of hanging out.
It was a good night and a fun group run. I definitely need to get to Bear Creek some more. I need to go to some of the weekly runs that Aaron puts together there in the summer. I've still never made it to one.
Tomorrow will probably be a bike ride day. My running has been kind of short this week. I needed a cutback week anyway. The run at Jim Thorpe on Saturday will be pretty long. I can't wait for it.
4.18 miles - 51:47 (12:24 pace)
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Terror on the Thun 5K Race Report
If you would've asked me two weeks ago what I thought my 5K time would be, I would've guessed something around 23 minutes, 22 minutes at best. Then, I ran a hard time trial 5K last week and surprised the heck out of myself with a 20:23. That was wind aided though.
I've been running all long and slow mileage. I knew my endurance was great, I was just shocked at how much speed I was able to carry without any fast efforts. I decided that I needed to officially enter a race. When I was on Pretzel City Sports website the other day, I saw they had a night race today. Perfect I thought, especially since I love night runs.
The race started behind a bar on the Schuylkill River Trail. At first, I was thinking that it went down one direction, so I ran there. It was rough and I figured if the race went that way, it would be tough to run fast. I then noticed how they setup the finish line and saw that it would actually go the other way. It was overall pretty flat, but not pancake flat. A lot of it was paved, but there was some stone too.
I got there early and warmed up with a fairly quick half mile or so out and back. I didn't time it at all. I just ran on feel. I then did a lot of striders to keep the legs churning and sharp. It used to be that I never warmed up before races and I still don't for long races. However, something as fast as 5K, you need to get your legs ready to run fast. Plus, covering the distance is easy so you don't lose much by running a moderate paced warmup.
I got to the line early and the timing people were quite late. That was kind of annoying. At first, I was one of the few people looking to line up at the front. Then, a few others showed up. There were a few guys that were obviously faster, some I wasn't so sure about and then a young kid that was a wildcard. I figured that I would easily be in the Top 10 overall. I wasn't expecting a strong field for a Tuesday night race anyway.
The race started off downhill and actually felt kind of slow to me. That was great because usually they feel too fast. When I did check my watch, the pace was under 6 minutes. Obviously it wasn't slow and I did need to slow down some. I figured a lot of that speed was just due to it being a downhill start.
I settled in at 6th place and followed the 5th place guy. It is nice when you are that far up front that you know where you are. I was afraid that I could get stuck in no man's land if I couldn't keep up. There weren't too many people right behind me.
The weather for this evening was actually perfect. It was cool and there was no wind. I went with a short sleeve shirt and shorts. I had zero issues.
One thing that I was unsure about was that it was supposed to be a haunted run. People hid on the course and dressed as zombies. They didn't get in the way too much though and thankfully didn't jump out in front of us and scare us. I'm sure they had more fun with the back of the field, but us frontrunners were too focused and running hard. They actually put fake body parts on the course too. If you picked them up, you won a prize. Of course I saw some, but I wasn't about to pick any up and run the rest of the race with it.
Mile 1 went very well. It was a 6:27 mile and I didn't feel like I was overworking myself at that point. I was sort of hoping I could break 20 minutes, but that would require a 6:25. I figured that that probably wasn't realistic yet and I was correct.
Somewhere around the first mile, I was passed by a guy in costume. I had been right behind the guy that was in 5th place, so I passed that guy and followed the costume guy. The costume guy made for an awesome pace setter.
This was an out and back and I was happy that I didn't see the 2 leaders until after 1.25 miles. Around that point, there was short uphill. It was tough, but I pushed hard. I continued to follow the costume guy. By now, my breathing was starting to labor a bit. I just thought about how short the race was and how I just needed to hang on.
I thought there would be a person at the turnaround, but there were just a few glow sticks. Luckily, I was followed that guy and he knew to turn there. I looked at my watch and realized that the pace had been slipping with me following this guy.
I didn't really have much energy and I didn't know if it was a good move or not, but I decided to use the downhill and just sprint by him. I figured that I could pick up my pace and hoping break him and build a huge gap. If I fell off in the final mile, oh well. The strategy worked perfectly and the downhill was great.
I continued to push and push. At other times, I might've backed off when my breathing was as heavy as it got today, but the great pace was so encouraging. I needed to at least break 21 minutes.
I don't remember when I encountered them, but there was this huge group of walkers on the trail. They were rather annoying to get past. I ran the second mile at 6:48. Having the guy pacing me through some of it was probably a huge help.
The final 1.1 miles I was on my own. I knew it would be difficult. Even if I really started dieing at some point, at least I put in 2 good miles. I also knew that at most only one other guy was likely going to pass me. The costume guy was still pretty far back though.
It did help that I had to hold my watch up to my headlamp to see the pace. That meant that I would look at it far less. At one point, they had caution tape between two posts. I guess I could've just ran through it, but instead I hurdled it.
I thought that I might've taken a wrong turn, but I still seemed to be on the trail and then I saw some more zombies. When I looked at my watch, I saw it at 2.76 miles. I was very happy then.
There was a nice downhill through a parking lot, before the last uphill. I was breathing so hard by now, but had to keep going. I knew my pace was under 6:40, so I was very happy with that. I went through a parking lot and a bunch of people were cheering us on. That was a nice boost.
I just battled really hard up the hill. I was so pleased to hear my watch beep at 3 miles. I was even happier to see the finish line. I ran hard through the finish and ended with a 20:29. That was good for 5th place overall and 2nd in my age group. Maybe more amazing, I beat all the women. That only ever happened once before. Usually there is one fast one.
Ron Horn (Pretzel City Sports director) heard me coming because I was breathing so hard at the finish. He thought I was someone else. I guess that just shows how much work I have yet to go. My breathing is so for behind my legs. I need to start working on that. Still, that is why I'm so amazed by the times that I am able to run.
I'm so happy with where I'm at right now. I ran faster than this all the time when I was 18 and just out of HS track. However, I've only run faster once in my post college days. That was my 5K PR back in 2010. I guess I need to go after that now too.
After the race, they had the awards ceremony in the bar. That just reminded me how awkward I am. I stood in the bar saying nothing. I can talk all day with friends, but I'll never start a conversation with strangers. I actually ended up talking with these two guys because they saw my Blues Cruise shirt and started a conversation. The one guy was the guy that passed early on in the race. He finished 7th and right behind me in my age group. I waited around for the awards, but they had a mix up with them, so they said they would mail mine.
I'm so thrilled with this run and where I'm at. I thought I was headed toward being a trail/ultra guy and that's still really want I want to do, but I guess I have to spend some time on the roads too. I have some unreached goals there and I have to go for them.
One thing I'm curious about is how fast I could run a half marathon. Is there a zone that I could run a moderate effort and still put up a fast time because my legs are so strong? Clearly I can only run so fast with my breathing holding me back. I'll just have to fix that I guess.
Tomorrow is either a longer ride or a run. I want to run at some point at the Delaware Water Gap this week. Then, I can take in the fall scenery. I'm thinking that will more likely be Thursday. I'm going to run at Jim Thorpe this weekend with a big group and that should be awesome.
3.1 miles - 20:29 (6:36 pace)
I've been running all long and slow mileage. I knew my endurance was great, I was just shocked at how much speed I was able to carry without any fast efforts. I decided that I needed to officially enter a race. When I was on Pretzel City Sports website the other day, I saw they had a night race today. Perfect I thought, especially since I love night runs.
The race started behind a bar on the Schuylkill River Trail. At first, I was thinking that it went down one direction, so I ran there. It was rough and I figured if the race went that way, it would be tough to run fast. I then noticed how they setup the finish line and saw that it would actually go the other way. It was overall pretty flat, but not pancake flat. A lot of it was paved, but there was some stone too.
I got there early and warmed up with a fairly quick half mile or so out and back. I didn't time it at all. I just ran on feel. I then did a lot of striders to keep the legs churning and sharp. It used to be that I never warmed up before races and I still don't for long races. However, something as fast as 5K, you need to get your legs ready to run fast. Plus, covering the distance is easy so you don't lose much by running a moderate paced warmup.
I got to the line early and the timing people were quite late. That was kind of annoying. At first, I was one of the few people looking to line up at the front. Then, a few others showed up. There were a few guys that were obviously faster, some I wasn't so sure about and then a young kid that was a wildcard. I figured that I would easily be in the Top 10 overall. I wasn't expecting a strong field for a Tuesday night race anyway.
The race started off downhill and actually felt kind of slow to me. That was great because usually they feel too fast. When I did check my watch, the pace was under 6 minutes. Obviously it wasn't slow and I did need to slow down some. I figured a lot of that speed was just due to it being a downhill start.
I settled in at 6th place and followed the 5th place guy. It is nice when you are that far up front that you know where you are. I was afraid that I could get stuck in no man's land if I couldn't keep up. There weren't too many people right behind me.
The weather for this evening was actually perfect. It was cool and there was no wind. I went with a short sleeve shirt and shorts. I had zero issues.
One thing that I was unsure about was that it was supposed to be a haunted run. People hid on the course and dressed as zombies. They didn't get in the way too much though and thankfully didn't jump out in front of us and scare us. I'm sure they had more fun with the back of the field, but us frontrunners were too focused and running hard. They actually put fake body parts on the course too. If you picked them up, you won a prize. Of course I saw some, but I wasn't about to pick any up and run the rest of the race with it.
Mile 1 went very well. It was a 6:27 mile and I didn't feel like I was overworking myself at that point. I was sort of hoping I could break 20 minutes, but that would require a 6:25. I figured that that probably wasn't realistic yet and I was correct.
Somewhere around the first mile, I was passed by a guy in costume. I had been right behind the guy that was in 5th place, so I passed that guy and followed the costume guy. The costume guy made for an awesome pace setter.
This was an out and back and I was happy that I didn't see the 2 leaders until after 1.25 miles. Around that point, there was short uphill. It was tough, but I pushed hard. I continued to follow the costume guy. By now, my breathing was starting to labor a bit. I just thought about how short the race was and how I just needed to hang on.
I thought there would be a person at the turnaround, but there were just a few glow sticks. Luckily, I was followed that guy and he knew to turn there. I looked at my watch and realized that the pace had been slipping with me following this guy.
I didn't really have much energy and I didn't know if it was a good move or not, but I decided to use the downhill and just sprint by him. I figured that I could pick up my pace and hoping break him and build a huge gap. If I fell off in the final mile, oh well. The strategy worked perfectly and the downhill was great.
I continued to push and push. At other times, I might've backed off when my breathing was as heavy as it got today, but the great pace was so encouraging. I needed to at least break 21 minutes.
I don't remember when I encountered them, but there was this huge group of walkers on the trail. They were rather annoying to get past. I ran the second mile at 6:48. Having the guy pacing me through some of it was probably a huge help.
The final 1.1 miles I was on my own. I knew it would be difficult. Even if I really started dieing at some point, at least I put in 2 good miles. I also knew that at most only one other guy was likely going to pass me. The costume guy was still pretty far back though.
It did help that I had to hold my watch up to my headlamp to see the pace. That meant that I would look at it far less. At one point, they had caution tape between two posts. I guess I could've just ran through it, but instead I hurdled it.
I thought that I might've taken a wrong turn, but I still seemed to be on the trail and then I saw some more zombies. When I looked at my watch, I saw it at 2.76 miles. I was very happy then.
There was a nice downhill through a parking lot, before the last uphill. I was breathing so hard by now, but had to keep going. I knew my pace was under 6:40, so I was very happy with that. I went through a parking lot and a bunch of people were cheering us on. That was a nice boost.
I just battled really hard up the hill. I was so pleased to hear my watch beep at 3 miles. I was even happier to see the finish line. I ran hard through the finish and ended with a 20:29. That was good for 5th place overall and 2nd in my age group. Maybe more amazing, I beat all the women. That only ever happened once before. Usually there is one fast one.
Ron Horn (Pretzel City Sports director) heard me coming because I was breathing so hard at the finish. He thought I was someone else. I guess that just shows how much work I have yet to go. My breathing is so for behind my legs. I need to start working on that. Still, that is why I'm so amazed by the times that I am able to run.
I'm so happy with where I'm at right now. I ran faster than this all the time when I was 18 and just out of HS track. However, I've only run faster once in my post college days. That was my 5K PR back in 2010. I guess I need to go after that now too.
After the race, they had the awards ceremony in the bar. That just reminded me how awkward I am. I stood in the bar saying nothing. I can talk all day with friends, but I'll never start a conversation with strangers. I actually ended up talking with these two guys because they saw my Blues Cruise shirt and started a conversation. The one guy was the guy that passed early on in the race. He finished 7th and right behind me in my age group. I waited around for the awards, but they had a mix up with them, so they said they would mail mine.
I'm so thrilled with this run and where I'm at. I thought I was headed toward being a trail/ultra guy and that's still really want I want to do, but I guess I have to spend some time on the roads too. I have some unreached goals there and I have to go for them.
One thing I'm curious about is how fast I could run a half marathon. Is there a zone that I could run a moderate effort and still put up a fast time because my legs are so strong? Clearly I can only run so fast with my breathing holding me back. I'll just have to fix that I guess.
Tomorrow is either a longer ride or a run. I want to run at some point at the Delaware Water Gap this week. Then, I can take in the fall scenery. I'm thinking that will more likely be Thursday. I'm going to run at Jim Thorpe this weekend with a big group and that should be awesome.
3.1 miles - 20:29 (6:36 pace)
Monday, October 28, 2013
Just Another 15 and 15 Day
I thought about riding last night. Instead, I took Sunday completely off. That meant a big Monday as usual. I wanted to run 15 miles. Since I handled some rail trails (Nor-Bath anyway) pretty well last week, I decided to run at the Saucon Rail Trail. It has now been extended a couple miles.
One of the reasons I decided on a rail trail is because I wanted the mileage, but didn't have the time for a slower trail run. I figured this would be perfect. I had a great week last week. Today, there were at least some issues.
It was a beautiful fall day. The temperature was in the mid 50s and the sun was out. There was some wind, but nothing too bad. I wore shorts and a short sleeve tech shirt.
I started at Upper Saucon Community Park. If I began at Water Street, it would have required a long out and back or multiple out and back segments. I didn't want to do that.
I started heading south. This is the new section that just opened. I rode my bike on it, but had yet to run on it. It began by going uphill. It was steep initially and then gradual. With the sun out, I was actually hot in the beginning. It was tricky though because there was a breeze that bothered me some as I was running into it.
I ate an Atomic Burger from Sheetz about an hour and a half before the run. I knew that wasn't the best idea. I was definitely sluggish at the start. I did feel better though as the run went on.
Going out was uneventful. The trail ended at 2.2 or 2.3 miles. I was hoping it might go a little farther. I wanted at least 5 miles in this first segment, so I ran out on the road until 2.5 miles. I then turned around and had to go uphill.
The first few miles had been slow, but now that I was heading back on the trail, I was cruising. This must've been a gradual downhill. After an 8:57 opening mile, mile 5 was run at 8:04. I was back at my car, but didn't stop.
I headed out in the other direction. I've run here many times before. I wanted to make sure that I did a minimum of 3 miles out and 3 more back. That way I would be at least at mile 11 when I arrived back at the car.
This part was nice because there was a lot of gradual downhill. The trail was fairly busy and the scenery was solid. I cruised around. Most of my miles were now under 8 minute pace.
I was going out farther and farther. This is the part of long runs where I usually get into a zone. The first 5 miles and the last 5 miles of a run of this distance can be tough, but the middle is kind of sweet.
I just kept trying to go another half mile out. Every time I did that, it meant an additional mile onto the total when I arrived back at the car. I finally turned around at mile 9. I had almost made it to Water Street. Now, I would get back to my car after 13 miles. I could tough out another 2 miles, I figured.
I turned around and it definitely got harder. I was going slightly uphill and the wind was at my face. I was still happy to be running consistent miles under 8 minute pace, especially since I was running with an easy effort. My breathing was laboring from time to time because of the wind, but that was it.
Getting to mile 10 was huge. I always love hitting double digits. By now, I was doing okay, but not feeling as great as I hoped. Some soreness was developing particularly with my back. I guess I still struggle with crushed stone surfaces. Normally, I feel great at mile 11, but I was starting to slip by now.
All of the gradual uphill didn't help. I continued to just focus on the task at hand and the next mile. Getting to 12 miles was huge. Before I knew it, I had fought hard and struggled back to the car.
I didn't want to stop now either. I still had water left. Not stopping did make it difficult. I usually take a break on long trail runs. By now, my legs were slowly getting beat up.
I headed out ion the new section. I knew mile 14 would be uphill and thus the toughest. If I could just get past that, I could turn around and cruise downhill. I grinded out mile 14. Mile 13 was 8:22 and this mile was 8:28. I was slipping, but not too bad.
The last mile was awesome thanks to the downhill. I was able to use it and really push myself. After failing apart earlier, I bounced back to end the run with a 7:36 mile. That dropped my overall pace below 8:10.
It was definitely a solid 15 miles. I've felt far worse after 15 mile runs and also far better. My legs and back were sore. It wasn't too bad, but I thought that I'm better adapted to 15 mile runs at this point. I guess it was all about the surface that I was running on and the repetitive nature of the run.
I'm not in too bad of shape. I rode my bike for 15 more miles in the darkness and that helped a lot with recovery. I should feel fine tomorrow. I'll probably ride in the afternoon and then at night, I want to run a 5K in Reading. I really want to see where I'm at from a speed standpoint. I don't expect to break 20 minutes quite yet, but I'm think I should break 21 anyway. I'm looking forward to racing again and I love doing so at night. I think it is a flat course.
15 miles - 2:02:09 (8:09 pace)
One of the reasons I decided on a rail trail is because I wanted the mileage, but didn't have the time for a slower trail run. I figured this would be perfect. I had a great week last week. Today, there were at least some issues.
It was a beautiful fall day. The temperature was in the mid 50s and the sun was out. There was some wind, but nothing too bad. I wore shorts and a short sleeve tech shirt.
I started at Upper Saucon Community Park. If I began at Water Street, it would have required a long out and back or multiple out and back segments. I didn't want to do that.
I started heading south. This is the new section that just opened. I rode my bike on it, but had yet to run on it. It began by going uphill. It was steep initially and then gradual. With the sun out, I was actually hot in the beginning. It was tricky though because there was a breeze that bothered me some as I was running into it.
I ate an Atomic Burger from Sheetz about an hour and a half before the run. I knew that wasn't the best idea. I was definitely sluggish at the start. I did feel better though as the run went on.
Going out was uneventful. The trail ended at 2.2 or 2.3 miles. I was hoping it might go a little farther. I wanted at least 5 miles in this first segment, so I ran out on the road until 2.5 miles. I then turned around and had to go uphill.
The first few miles had been slow, but now that I was heading back on the trail, I was cruising. This must've been a gradual downhill. After an 8:57 opening mile, mile 5 was run at 8:04. I was back at my car, but didn't stop.
I headed out in the other direction. I've run here many times before. I wanted to make sure that I did a minimum of 3 miles out and 3 more back. That way I would be at least at mile 11 when I arrived back at the car.
This part was nice because there was a lot of gradual downhill. The trail was fairly busy and the scenery was solid. I cruised around. Most of my miles were now under 8 minute pace.
I was going out farther and farther. This is the part of long runs where I usually get into a zone. The first 5 miles and the last 5 miles of a run of this distance can be tough, but the middle is kind of sweet.
I just kept trying to go another half mile out. Every time I did that, it meant an additional mile onto the total when I arrived back at the car. I finally turned around at mile 9. I had almost made it to Water Street. Now, I would get back to my car after 13 miles. I could tough out another 2 miles, I figured.
I turned around and it definitely got harder. I was going slightly uphill and the wind was at my face. I was still happy to be running consistent miles under 8 minute pace, especially since I was running with an easy effort. My breathing was laboring from time to time because of the wind, but that was it.
Getting to mile 10 was huge. I always love hitting double digits. By now, I was doing okay, but not feeling as great as I hoped. Some soreness was developing particularly with my back. I guess I still struggle with crushed stone surfaces. Normally, I feel great at mile 11, but I was starting to slip by now.
All of the gradual uphill didn't help. I continued to just focus on the task at hand and the next mile. Getting to 12 miles was huge. Before I knew it, I had fought hard and struggled back to the car.
I didn't want to stop now either. I still had water left. Not stopping did make it difficult. I usually take a break on long trail runs. By now, my legs were slowly getting beat up.
I headed out ion the new section. I knew mile 14 would be uphill and thus the toughest. If I could just get past that, I could turn around and cruise downhill. I grinded out mile 14. Mile 13 was 8:22 and this mile was 8:28. I was slipping, but not too bad.
The last mile was awesome thanks to the downhill. I was able to use it and really push myself. After failing apart earlier, I bounced back to end the run with a 7:36 mile. That dropped my overall pace below 8:10.
It was definitely a solid 15 miles. I've felt far worse after 15 mile runs and also far better. My legs and back were sore. It wasn't too bad, but I thought that I'm better adapted to 15 mile runs at this point. I guess it was all about the surface that I was running on and the repetitive nature of the run.
I'm not in too bad of shape. I rode my bike for 15 more miles in the darkness and that helped a lot with recovery. I should feel fine tomorrow. I'll probably ride in the afternoon and then at night, I want to run a 5K in Reading. I really want to see where I'm at from a speed standpoint. I don't expect to break 20 minutes quite yet, but I'm think I should break 21 anyway. I'm looking forward to racing again and I love doing so at night. I think it is a flat course.
15 miles - 2:02:09 (8:09 pace)
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Run and Long Ride to Finish the Week
Today was the last day of the week. I would've liked to run with the BCR to get to 50 miles for the week. However, it was right at the freezing mark when they started. I wasn't too crazy about that. I ended up going to there to drop a CD of photos off.
Instead, I ran with Emily later in the morning. She was doing her last 20 miler before the Philadelphia Marathon in a couple weeks. She actually started the same time as the BCR people, but I was only running the last 7 miles with her, so I didn't start until about 2 hours later.
I wasn't sure what to wear. It was definitely warmer by 9:45 AM. I went with a lightweight long sleeve shirt and shorts. I actually would've liked to have worn a short sleeve shirt, but I didn't have one with me.
I parked in downtown Easton on Larry Holmes Drive. Emily was doing a big loop around Easton, from her house. I was going to run last 7 miles and then she'd drive me back to my car.
It was a little chilly along the river at the start, but I warmed up quick. Of course the pace would be nice and easy for me on this short run. That was good since my last run was hard.
I run so often alone and I feel like that does make me mentally tough. However, it is awesome to have company every now and then. It is simply amazing how quickly the time goes by.
We ran through Easton and then onto the Karl Steiner Arts Trail. This is a nice paved segment with some uphill to it. I had to make sure not to push the pace too much. Emily was breathing a little bit since she'd run so far already. I had it easy.
We talked training and a lot of other stuff. This is her first marathon coming up and we talked about just staying pretty consistent afterward and issues like that. I'm probably going to help her out with her training after the race.
I took her through a section behind some apartments. This is a singletrack flat dirt path. It is unmaintained. I was surprised to come across several other runners here. I didn't think anyone actually ran on this part.
We were then onto the Palmer Bike Path near Crayola. This section is nice and flat and paved. I was wearing my regular shoes. I'm long overdo for a new pair. I had no problems today though. I was glad that there was no soreness. After the fast run the other day, my left kneecap area was tweaked a bit, but it felt fine today.
We ran out to Mill Race Park. That is a slight uphill, so it can be a little tough for someone doing a long run. There was some nice fall scenery.
After the uphill, we turned around for about a mile. That made for a nice downhill. I ran a little harder and Emily pushed herself to stay with me. When we got to where she was going to end, I decided to push it pretty hard for a short out and back.
This last segment was .4 miles. I ran really hard. It was kind of tough to do after all the slow early miles. I dropped the pace of this mile to 7:34, so this short fast segment must've been well under 7 minute pace.
It was good to finish up a 50 mile week with an easy run. It was also good to help Emily out and have some company. Another fine week in the books.
I went to the D&L and biked 40 miles after the run. That is pretty flat, so I guess I'll have to make that my new long ride place. It was nice at the beginning, but pretty cold by the end of the ride. I ended the week with 75 miles on the bike in addition to the 50 miles of running. All in all, a productive week.
Tomorrow, I'll be at the Eagles game. I might ride for an hour or so after dark when I get home. I'm thinking Monday will be a 15 mile trail run. Tuesday, I might run a 5K to see where I'm really at from a speed standpoint and what I need to do going forward.
7 miles - 59:01 (8:26 pace)
Instead, I ran with Emily later in the morning. She was doing her last 20 miler before the Philadelphia Marathon in a couple weeks. She actually started the same time as the BCR people, but I was only running the last 7 miles with her, so I didn't start until about 2 hours later.
I wasn't sure what to wear. It was definitely warmer by 9:45 AM. I went with a lightweight long sleeve shirt and shorts. I actually would've liked to have worn a short sleeve shirt, but I didn't have one with me.
I parked in downtown Easton on Larry Holmes Drive. Emily was doing a big loop around Easton, from her house. I was going to run last 7 miles and then she'd drive me back to my car.
It was a little chilly along the river at the start, but I warmed up quick. Of course the pace would be nice and easy for me on this short run. That was good since my last run was hard.
I run so often alone and I feel like that does make me mentally tough. However, it is awesome to have company every now and then. It is simply amazing how quickly the time goes by.
We ran through Easton and then onto the Karl Steiner Arts Trail. This is a nice paved segment with some uphill to it. I had to make sure not to push the pace too much. Emily was breathing a little bit since she'd run so far already. I had it easy.
We talked training and a lot of other stuff. This is her first marathon coming up and we talked about just staying pretty consistent afterward and issues like that. I'm probably going to help her out with her training after the race.
I took her through a section behind some apartments. This is a singletrack flat dirt path. It is unmaintained. I was surprised to come across several other runners here. I didn't think anyone actually ran on this part.
We were then onto the Palmer Bike Path near Crayola. This section is nice and flat and paved. I was wearing my regular shoes. I'm long overdo for a new pair. I had no problems today though. I was glad that there was no soreness. After the fast run the other day, my left kneecap area was tweaked a bit, but it felt fine today.
We ran out to Mill Race Park. That is a slight uphill, so it can be a little tough for someone doing a long run. There was some nice fall scenery.
After the uphill, we turned around for about a mile. That made for a nice downhill. I ran a little harder and Emily pushed herself to stay with me. When we got to where she was going to end, I decided to push it pretty hard for a short out and back.
This last segment was .4 miles. I ran really hard. It was kind of tough to do after all the slow early miles. I dropped the pace of this mile to 7:34, so this short fast segment must've been well under 7 minute pace.
It was good to finish up a 50 mile week with an easy run. It was also good to help Emily out and have some company. Another fine week in the books.
I went to the D&L and biked 40 miles after the run. That is pretty flat, so I guess I'll have to make that my new long ride place. It was nice at the beginning, but pretty cold by the end of the ride. I ended the week with 75 miles on the bike in addition to the 50 miles of running. All in all, a productive week.
Tomorrow, I'll be at the Eagles game. I might ride for an hour or so after dark when I get home. I'm thinking Monday will be a 15 mile trail run. Tuesday, I might run a 5K to see where I'm really at from a speed standpoint and what I need to do going forward.
7 miles - 59:01 (8:26 pace)
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Breakthrough Run?
Last spring, I was regressing in my training. My legs were getting destroyed and my times were slowing down. I ran an awful half marathon on a hilly course where I didn't even break 1:40. At that time, I decided my training needed changing.
My greatest strength is probably my desire and work ethic. However, that is also my greatest weakest. I push, push and push until I fall over the edge. I'm terrible at taking the long term approach, even though I know I should. It has also been tough to take that approach because I've never been healthy very long.
After the spring, I decided that I would just stop running hard. I would work on my endurance base. I wanted to build up to where I could run high mileage comfortably. I also knew that trails helped my legs out tremendously, so I headed there for most of my runs.
This summer has been great with weeks of 40 miles of running and 100 miles of biking pretty consistently. When I ran the VIA Marathon in September, it was rather easy and I knew my endurance was at an all time high. That day, I had an inkling that I might have some decent speed too. I ran a 3:45 with relative ease. I didn't think I could run much under 4 hours at that point.
Still, it is hard to know if you have any speed until you test it out. Last week, I had an awesome 25 mile trail run that seemed pretty easy and was again thrilled at my endurance. Then on Friday, after 10 decent paced miles, I ran hard at the end and surprised myself with a 6:34 mile.
I figured it was time to test my speed a little more to see where I was truly at. After 3 days of 10+ miles earlier in the week, I rested yesterday. The plan today was just a mile warmup, then a fast 5K segment and a couple miles to cool down.
I decided to head to the Nor-Bath Trail since my legs are comfortable there. I started at Savage Road. I wanted to head out with the wind at my back. I knew my breathing would lag behind my legs and I couldn't afford to run into the wind.
I was hoping for something under a 7 minute pace. If I could hold that for 3.1 miles, I would be impressed. I kind of knew it was going to be a great day when I did the warmup mile. It was more like a moderate paced mile and I was cruising. I ran a half mile out and half mile back at 7:04.
I then picked it up and felt great early on. I was shocked when I first looked at my watch and was actually slightly under 6 minute pace. It didn't feel too hard at this point. I felt like I could go even faster, but of course I knew whenever I did that I'd really fall apart.
I've run so many 5Ks that I know how to pace myself for them. However, since I've been doing all slow runs, I wanted to run slightly slower from an effort standpoint than I normally would.
Of course my pace slid as would be expected. Mile 1 of the 5K trial was still a blazing 6:23. My breathing labored not too long after that. I kept pushing though, trying to find a balance between fast and not too fast. By 1.5 miles, I was struggling.
My pace was still awesome, even though it was falling off, so I got a huge boost from that. I just kept battling. I figured that I could at least get through the 2nd hard mile.
I came through that mile at another amazing 6:36. At this point, I was just thrilled with these 2 miles. I actually didn't even care much how I fell of in the final 1.1 miles. In fact, I slowed for the next .1 miles and clicked my watch at that point. I figured I could include the fairly fast warmup and just count that as a 5K. Even then, I would've impressed myself.
I picked it back up instead. I figured that I would just hang on as long as I could. My legs were still awesome. My lungs were just holding me back big time. Even though I was slowing, I was able to continue at a 6:44 pace for the final hard mile. That was so encouraging.
I got to Airport Road shortly before I was done with the hard segment. I wasn't going to cross the road, so I had to turn around and battle the headwind now. I actually pushed harder and was able to even drop this mile's pace in the final couple tenths.
That last hard mile was 6:41. Added altogether and my time was 20:23 (6:44 pace). It was well beyond even my best expectations for this run. It was wind aided, but I'd have to think whatever advantage the wind gave me would be the same as the disadvantage of running solo with no competitors.
I ran mostly out, so I was almost 3 miles away when I finished the run. That meant several slow miles back to cool down. I'm not sure I've ever had a happier few miles. I was fist pumping with excitement like I had won the Boston Marathon.
I'm probably not far off of breaking 20 minutes in a 5K. I used to do that all the time when I was 19, but that has only happened exactly once since then. That was my PR in 2010. I haven't had this kind of speed since 2010. In fact, I might've only run this fast one other time in addition to my PR. I'm very interested in seeing how much faster I can get by actually incorporating some regular speed into my runs. I may not be too far from PR land.
I definitely need to improve my lung capacity. Still, I want to be cautious with it. I don't need to get injured again. I'm going to stick with the same plan of lots of slow long runs. I will add one day a week of intervals, tempo runs, fartleks and stuff like that.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised with this speed. After all, the way to run better/faster is to run more. It's not a big secret. Arthur Lydiard discovered that exact thing 50+ years ago. I just can't believe how much it seems to be ringing true now. We'll see where it goes from here, but my "Summer of Endurance" might be really paying off.
Tomorrow is a rest day from running. I'd like to go for a big bike ride. Hopefully it isn't as cold as today. Saturday, I'll likely run again. I'm kind of interested in running a real 5K now to see what I can do. I did find a night one in Reading on Tuesday evening. That might work.
7 miles - 52:00 (7:26 pace)
Fast 5K segment in middle 20:23 (6:34 pace)
My greatest strength is probably my desire and work ethic. However, that is also my greatest weakest. I push, push and push until I fall over the edge. I'm terrible at taking the long term approach, even though I know I should. It has also been tough to take that approach because I've never been healthy very long.
After the spring, I decided that I would just stop running hard. I would work on my endurance base. I wanted to build up to where I could run high mileage comfortably. I also knew that trails helped my legs out tremendously, so I headed there for most of my runs.
This summer has been great with weeks of 40 miles of running and 100 miles of biking pretty consistently. When I ran the VIA Marathon in September, it was rather easy and I knew my endurance was at an all time high. That day, I had an inkling that I might have some decent speed too. I ran a 3:45 with relative ease. I didn't think I could run much under 4 hours at that point.
Still, it is hard to know if you have any speed until you test it out. Last week, I had an awesome 25 mile trail run that seemed pretty easy and was again thrilled at my endurance. Then on Friday, after 10 decent paced miles, I ran hard at the end and surprised myself with a 6:34 mile.
I figured it was time to test my speed a little more to see where I was truly at. After 3 days of 10+ miles earlier in the week, I rested yesterday. The plan today was just a mile warmup, then a fast 5K segment and a couple miles to cool down.
I decided to head to the Nor-Bath Trail since my legs are comfortable there. I started at Savage Road. I wanted to head out with the wind at my back. I knew my breathing would lag behind my legs and I couldn't afford to run into the wind.
I was hoping for something under a 7 minute pace. If I could hold that for 3.1 miles, I would be impressed. I kind of knew it was going to be a great day when I did the warmup mile. It was more like a moderate paced mile and I was cruising. I ran a half mile out and half mile back at 7:04.
I then picked it up and felt great early on. I was shocked when I first looked at my watch and was actually slightly under 6 minute pace. It didn't feel too hard at this point. I felt like I could go even faster, but of course I knew whenever I did that I'd really fall apart.
I've run so many 5Ks that I know how to pace myself for them. However, since I've been doing all slow runs, I wanted to run slightly slower from an effort standpoint than I normally would.
Of course my pace slid as would be expected. Mile 1 of the 5K trial was still a blazing 6:23. My breathing labored not too long after that. I kept pushing though, trying to find a balance between fast and not too fast. By 1.5 miles, I was struggling.
My pace was still awesome, even though it was falling off, so I got a huge boost from that. I just kept battling. I figured that I could at least get through the 2nd hard mile.
I came through that mile at another amazing 6:36. At this point, I was just thrilled with these 2 miles. I actually didn't even care much how I fell of in the final 1.1 miles. In fact, I slowed for the next .1 miles and clicked my watch at that point. I figured I could include the fairly fast warmup and just count that as a 5K. Even then, I would've impressed myself.
I picked it back up instead. I figured that I would just hang on as long as I could. My legs were still awesome. My lungs were just holding me back big time. Even though I was slowing, I was able to continue at a 6:44 pace for the final hard mile. That was so encouraging.
I got to Airport Road shortly before I was done with the hard segment. I wasn't going to cross the road, so I had to turn around and battle the headwind now. I actually pushed harder and was able to even drop this mile's pace in the final couple tenths.
That last hard mile was 6:41. Added altogether and my time was 20:23 (6:44 pace). It was well beyond even my best expectations for this run. It was wind aided, but I'd have to think whatever advantage the wind gave me would be the same as the disadvantage of running solo with no competitors.
I ran mostly out, so I was almost 3 miles away when I finished the run. That meant several slow miles back to cool down. I'm not sure I've ever had a happier few miles. I was fist pumping with excitement like I had won the Boston Marathon.
I'm probably not far off of breaking 20 minutes in a 5K. I used to do that all the time when I was 19, but that has only happened exactly once since then. That was my PR in 2010. I haven't had this kind of speed since 2010. In fact, I might've only run this fast one other time in addition to my PR. I'm very interested in seeing how much faster I can get by actually incorporating some regular speed into my runs. I may not be too far from PR land.
I definitely need to improve my lung capacity. Still, I want to be cautious with it. I don't need to get injured again. I'm going to stick with the same plan of lots of slow long runs. I will add one day a week of intervals, tempo runs, fartleks and stuff like that.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised with this speed. After all, the way to run better/faster is to run more. It's not a big secret. Arthur Lydiard discovered that exact thing 50+ years ago. I just can't believe how much it seems to be ringing true now. We'll see where it goes from here, but my "Summer of Endurance" might be really paying off.
Tomorrow is a rest day from running. I'd like to go for a big bike ride. Hopefully it isn't as cold as today. Saturday, I'll likely run again. I'm kind of interested in running a real 5K now to see what I can do. I did find a night one in Reading on Tuesday evening. That might work.
7 miles - 52:00 (7:26 pace)
Fast 5K segment in middle 20:23 (6:34 pace)
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Third Straight Big Day
A long term goal of mine is to run something like either AT through PA or maybe the Long Trail in Vermont. Regardless, I want to do something where I average like 25-30 miles a day for 5-10 days. It will take awhile to build up to that point, but I wanted to run three straight days of 10+ miles now to get a taste of how my body would handle something like that. I've never run that much mileage consecutively before.
After 12 and 15 miles at night on the Nor-Bath Trail, it was time for a day run. It was also time for more of a true trail. I needed something technical to slow me down and break up the repetitiveness of normal running.
I decided to head to South Mountain (Bethlehem) and run the loop there. I was there at night about a month ago, but but I haven't been there much lately. It was a nice fall day, so I figured that the setting would be great. I wanted to run 15 miles, but the plan was for at least 10 miles. That would be 2+ loops. If I went for a third loop, it would likely be in the dark.
I went with a long sleeve tech shirt. The gear choice was difficult today. It wasn't that cold, but it was very windy, especially on the mountain top. I also figured if I was still running after dark, the long sleeves would be great.
I got a taste of the changing conditions early on. On the top of the mountain, it was so windy and freezing. When I got down onto the trail though, it was hot and I was sweating. I just took it easy.
This loop is nice because it starts off downhill. It isn't too long before you head uphill though. I walked a lot of that early on just to be cautious. My legs definitely felt like they put in some big miles during the last few days.
Early on, I saw a couple deer. That would be the theme of this run. I saw more deer than people. In fact, I counted 22 deer in total. Some of those were probably repeats, since I ran the loop twice.
After walking up the big hill, it was nice to run again for awhile. The middle portion of this loop is a lot downhill and plenty of fun. You just have to get through the start. It is rocky in the middle and the rocks were kind of hard to see with all the leaves that had fallen down. I handled the rocks pretty well, although I stumbled a couple times.
Before I knew it, I was to this small bridge over some water. A couple was hanging out there and had to move out of my way. I then made it to the lookout and saw the City of Bethlehem. That was an awesome view.
The pace was pretty good and I was having fun. It is good to know this course because I now know which hills are long and need walking and which I can run up. The last part of this run is mostly uphill, but it is a long, steady uphill. I walked some and ran some.
I walked a lot of the way up the steps and finished up the first loop at my car at just under 4.5 miles. I was well under an hour (that's the time needed when Decker puts on his Loopy Run there). I quickly refilled my drink and wiped my face with a towel. I wanted to get going.
The second loop started off okay. My legs were kind of fatigued, but that was to be expected at this point. By now, I just decided that I would only do 10 miles. The early climbs of this loop were tough, even while walking.
I saw a couple walking and later on a mountain biker. I would see the couple again at a road crossing. I just cruised along and tried to run pretty consistent. The downhill was a big help again and I was feeling awesome.
Just as I was thinking how I was handling the rocks pretty well and feeling great, I bashed the side of my foot on a rock. That hurt a lot, but I plugged along.
Again, the couple on the bridge had to move for me. I'm not sure if it was the same couple. I wanted some extra distance, so I ran out to the art garden with all weird art structures in the middle of a field. My foot was really killing me through this section and then when I hit some stone trail and it was especially a probably on the pavement. The foot was constantly rubbing my shoe.
When I got back on the trail and had instant relief. This finish was more of the same as the first time around. I saw a bunch of deer, but not much else happened. At the road on the top, there were a four small deer with their mom.
I was at about 8.8 miles when I came out of the woods. I wanted to get to 10 miles, so I just looped around the paved roads at the top of campus. That dropped my pace like crazy and I was done before I knew it.
I actually felt worse at mile 5 than I did at mile 10. I'm sure I could've pushed on and got to mile 15 without too much trouble. However, I've put myself through enough the last three days and don't want to overdo it.
Tomorrow, I'm going to the district cross country meet. I won't run at all, but I'll probably ride to the meet and possibly ride another time too. I haven't been on the bike yet this week. On Thursday, I'm planning on a short run. I want to run hard and see what kind of speed I have.
10 miles - 1:52:31 (11:15 pace)
After 12 and 15 miles at night on the Nor-Bath Trail, it was time for a day run. It was also time for more of a true trail. I needed something technical to slow me down and break up the repetitiveness of normal running.
I decided to head to South Mountain (Bethlehem) and run the loop there. I was there at night about a month ago, but but I haven't been there much lately. It was a nice fall day, so I figured that the setting would be great. I wanted to run 15 miles, but the plan was for at least 10 miles. That would be 2+ loops. If I went for a third loop, it would likely be in the dark.
I went with a long sleeve tech shirt. The gear choice was difficult today. It wasn't that cold, but it was very windy, especially on the mountain top. I also figured if I was still running after dark, the long sleeves would be great.
I got a taste of the changing conditions early on. On the top of the mountain, it was so windy and freezing. When I got down onto the trail though, it was hot and I was sweating. I just took it easy.
This loop is nice because it starts off downhill. It isn't too long before you head uphill though. I walked a lot of that early on just to be cautious. My legs definitely felt like they put in some big miles during the last few days.
Early on, I saw a couple deer. That would be the theme of this run. I saw more deer than people. In fact, I counted 22 deer in total. Some of those were probably repeats, since I ran the loop twice.
After walking up the big hill, it was nice to run again for awhile. The middle portion of this loop is a lot downhill and plenty of fun. You just have to get through the start. It is rocky in the middle and the rocks were kind of hard to see with all the leaves that had fallen down. I handled the rocks pretty well, although I stumbled a couple times.
Before I knew it, I was to this small bridge over some water. A couple was hanging out there and had to move out of my way. I then made it to the lookout and saw the City of Bethlehem. That was an awesome view.
The pace was pretty good and I was having fun. It is good to know this course because I now know which hills are long and need walking and which I can run up. The last part of this run is mostly uphill, but it is a long, steady uphill. I walked some and ran some.
I walked a lot of the way up the steps and finished up the first loop at my car at just under 4.5 miles. I was well under an hour (that's the time needed when Decker puts on his Loopy Run there). I quickly refilled my drink and wiped my face with a towel. I wanted to get going.
The second loop started off okay. My legs were kind of fatigued, but that was to be expected at this point. By now, I just decided that I would only do 10 miles. The early climbs of this loop were tough, even while walking.
I saw a couple walking and later on a mountain biker. I would see the couple again at a road crossing. I just cruised along and tried to run pretty consistent. The downhill was a big help again and I was feeling awesome.
Just as I was thinking how I was handling the rocks pretty well and feeling great, I bashed the side of my foot on a rock. That hurt a lot, but I plugged along.
Again, the couple on the bridge had to move for me. I'm not sure if it was the same couple. I wanted some extra distance, so I ran out to the art garden with all weird art structures in the middle of a field. My foot was really killing me through this section and then when I hit some stone trail and it was especially a probably on the pavement. The foot was constantly rubbing my shoe.
When I got back on the trail and had instant relief. This finish was more of the same as the first time around. I saw a bunch of deer, but not much else happened. At the road on the top, there were a four small deer with their mom.
I was at about 8.8 miles when I came out of the woods. I wanted to get to 10 miles, so I just looped around the paved roads at the top of campus. That dropped my pace like crazy and I was done before I knew it.
I actually felt worse at mile 5 than I did at mile 10. I'm sure I could've pushed on and got to mile 15 without too much trouble. However, I've put myself through enough the last three days and don't want to overdo it.
Tomorrow, I'm going to the district cross country meet. I won't run at all, but I'll probably ride to the meet and possibly ride another time too. I haven't been on the bike yet this week. On Thursday, I'm planning on a short run. I want to run hard and see what kind of speed I have.
10 miles - 1:52:31 (11:15 pace)
Monday, October 21, 2013
Another 15 at Night
After a solid 12 miles last night, I wanted another long run tonight. I was going to run in the day, but just didn't have the energy. Instead, I went out to the Nor-Bath Trail again at 8 PM. That was the same time as yesterday.
It was another beautiful, slightly chilly night. This time, I went with some long sleeves. I started off nice and easy. My headlamp was well adjusted. I ran the short out and back section toward Bath first. It was good to get an early mile in in that direction.
I saw eyes on the trail early on. That is always a little uncomfortable. They were gone when I got there though. Every now and then, something runs into the bushes during these runs. Once time, the wind blew after that too and made me unsettled.
The one thing with night runs, especially on a flat trail, is that they are very uneventful. It is just mile after mile of almost nothing. The road crossings are one of the few interesting things. I got through most of those with only brief stops. Some of the people in the cars that I was waiting for must've thought I was crazy.
At one point, I heard a guy at a house yell "hey." I'm not sure who he was yelling at. I am always worried some dogs at these houses might chase me. A couple were out later on and they barked at me.
The beginning of this route is awesome, but the surfaces change after Savage Road. There is some pavement and different stone too. Going out, it is nice, but coming back sucks because it is uphill.
I struggled slightly with the uphill. It was now over 5 miles. The legs were starting to feel it just slightly. Nothing bad, but some minor aches.
Once I got back onto the section past Savage Road, things got much better. I cruised along. I was drinking water, but feeling slightly weird because of the cold air. I just concentrated on getting to miles 7, then 8, then 9 and 10. Hitting double digit miles was the absolute minimum for this run.
I knew that when I got to the end of the trail, I'd be just over 10 miles. When I got to mile 9.4, I decided to turn around and run out again until I hit mile 10. That was great. It must've been downhill because I cruised.
It was good to hit mile 10. I was starting to tire, so I didn't know how far I'd go. I could definitely get to mile 12 without much trouble, and probably 13 too. I knew by now that I could get to mile 15, but that might be pushing it.
I just kept going. I was at about 11.5 miles when I arrived near my car. I ran that short out and back section to get in another mile.
Now, I just thought what the heck, let's go to mile 15, even if we are a little beat up doing it. While I struggled a little earlier on, I did better in this stretch because I was more focused.
I ran out to 13.8 miles and had 1.2 miles to finish. I actually just focused on quarter miles. I didn't push hard, but I did pick it up in the final mile (7:49). It was great to get to 15 miles.
I was a little sore, but not too bad. It shows how far I've come. I was thinking back to late May when I ran like 17 miles and my legs were just destroyed. Now, it would've probably taken 23 or more miles until I felt that bad.
Tomorrow, I'm trying for another long run. I'm hoping for at least 15 miles and I'd love to do 20 miles. I'm not sure where at though. I was considering South Mountain (Lehigh), but that might be too technical and time consuming. I'd love to travel, but don't know if I have the time to do that and run for a long time before it gets dark.
15 miles - 2:12:17 (8:49 pace)
It was another beautiful, slightly chilly night. This time, I went with some long sleeves. I started off nice and easy. My headlamp was well adjusted. I ran the short out and back section toward Bath first. It was good to get an early mile in in that direction.
I saw eyes on the trail early on. That is always a little uncomfortable. They were gone when I got there though. Every now and then, something runs into the bushes during these runs. Once time, the wind blew after that too and made me unsettled.
The one thing with night runs, especially on a flat trail, is that they are very uneventful. It is just mile after mile of almost nothing. The road crossings are one of the few interesting things. I got through most of those with only brief stops. Some of the people in the cars that I was waiting for must've thought I was crazy.
At one point, I heard a guy at a house yell "hey." I'm not sure who he was yelling at. I am always worried some dogs at these houses might chase me. A couple were out later on and they barked at me.
The beginning of this route is awesome, but the surfaces change after Savage Road. There is some pavement and different stone too. Going out, it is nice, but coming back sucks because it is uphill.
I struggled slightly with the uphill. It was now over 5 miles. The legs were starting to feel it just slightly. Nothing bad, but some minor aches.
Once I got back onto the section past Savage Road, things got much better. I cruised along. I was drinking water, but feeling slightly weird because of the cold air. I just concentrated on getting to miles 7, then 8, then 9 and 10. Hitting double digit miles was the absolute minimum for this run.
I knew that when I got to the end of the trail, I'd be just over 10 miles. When I got to mile 9.4, I decided to turn around and run out again until I hit mile 10. That was great. It must've been downhill because I cruised.
It was good to hit mile 10. I was starting to tire, so I didn't know how far I'd go. I could definitely get to mile 12 without much trouble, and probably 13 too. I knew by now that I could get to mile 15, but that might be pushing it.
I just kept going. I was at about 11.5 miles when I arrived near my car. I ran that short out and back section to get in another mile.
Now, I just thought what the heck, let's go to mile 15, even if we are a little beat up doing it. While I struggled a little earlier on, I did better in this stretch because I was more focused.
I ran out to 13.8 miles and had 1.2 miles to finish. I actually just focused on quarter miles. I didn't push hard, but I did pick it up in the final mile (7:49). It was great to get to 15 miles.
I was a little sore, but not too bad. It shows how far I've come. I was thinking back to late May when I ran like 17 miles and my legs were just destroyed. Now, it would've probably taken 23 or more miles until I felt that bad.
Tomorrow, I'm trying for another long run. I'm hoping for at least 15 miles and I'd love to do 20 miles. I'm not sure where at though. I was considering South Mountain (Lehigh), but that might be too technical and time consuming. I'd love to travel, but don't know if I have the time to do that and run for a long time before it gets dark.
15 miles - 2:12:17 (8:49 pace)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)