Yesterday was actually a fairly nice day. However, I just wasn't feeling a run and couldn't drag myself out the door. A rest day wasn't a terrible idea anyway.
I knew I'd get out there today, I just wasn't sure when. I had to go to the Lafayette-Lehigh game, so that ruled out the afternoon. I wanted to go out and run with the BCR before that. I got up looked at the weather, laid back down and tossed the idea of "to go" or "not to go" over and over again. Finally, I decided it was too cold and I didn't want to run. Then, out of nowhere I popped out of bed, quickly changed and drove to the Boat Launch for the run. I didn't have much time to even get there.
I was sure glad that I made it out there. It wasn't as cold as I thought it was. Perhaps most importantly, there was no wind. I was actually overdressed with ColdGear, tights and even a fleece vest on. I was planning on a slow run though.
Mertz was there and took off way ahead of everyone. I ran with Chris D. I knew I wasn't going to run with Mertz and I didn't want to run alone. We started off slow and were behind a couple of the others in the group. Eventually, we picked it up a little and passed all of them. Only Mertz was ahead of us.
It was a nice and peaceful run along the river. We talking about running and auto racing. The time just flew by. This is exactly why I need to join group runs more often. Before I knew it, we were over 2.5 miles. Chris was only doing 5 miles, so we turned around.
I figured that I might as well run 5 miles with him and then finish the run off with 2 miles on my own. Running back was great too. I had a headband and gloves on and it got so warm that I took them off. We passed a bunch of the other BCR on the way back.
Before I knew it, we were back at the Boat Launch. I continued on by myself in the other direction. I was on the pavement and my legs felt pretty good. I passed some guy that was walking and he made a weird noise at me. I was a little worried about going by him on the way back, but he didn't do anything.
I ran out to 6.15 miles. I turned around and there was a slow group of women runners that I had to pass. I wanted to push hard when I turned around and that was just what I did. That mile's pace dropped from 7:20 down to a 6:33. It was a nice, fast finish.
I was so glad to be done and get in a solid 7 miles. I haven't run with the BCR enough and it is something I need to do more often. They are a good group and it makes running so much easier. Time just flies by. I also need to run more often with other people in general. I'm upping my mileage and can only run by myself so much.
I was hoping to get to 55 miles for the week. Therefore, I needed 7 more miles at night. I got out before 9 PM. The temperature had dropped and it was super windy. Weather.com said it was a wind chill of 18 degrees. There were some snow flurries too and the ground was slick after that.
I decided to just run around the neighborhoods near my house. I wore about the same attire as the earlier run. I turned on my headlamp and twice it died and turned off. I took that as a sign that this wasn't the greatest idea.
I headed to the elementary school near my house to just run a couple loops in the parking lot. The goal was to run 2 miles and get to 50 miles for the week. Not as great as I was hoping, but still a nice round number for me.
I did a couple loops and they were interesting. Part of it was super windy and cold and in the other directions, it was calm and warm. I went back and forth between thinking "this is a great run" and "this is a terrible run." When I got 2 miles in, I finally decided to call it a day.
I want to run tomorrow anyway, so it is good to save myself some. Really, there wasn't any point in 5 more miles. It would've just been a good mental challenge with the wind and such.
This week, I'll be super busy with Thanksgiving and lots of work. However, I'm hoping I can fit 65 miles of running in. I want to get my mileage consistently into the 70s and 80s over the winter. Even though I have a lot of time, that won't be easy to do. I'm up for the challenge though.
BCR Run - 54:20 (7:46 pace)
Night Run - 18:04 (9:03 pace)
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Road Run and Trail Run
The plan today was two easy runs after yesterday's hard run. I was busy at work. I had orders at three different times of day. That made getting runs in difficult, but I got it accomplished.
I couldn't get myself to run in the morning, which I think was probably a good thing because I don't think my legs could've handled it after yesterday's hard run. In the afternoon, I didn't have much time, so I ran the neighborhoods by my house. I hate running there, so I rarely do that. The plan was a super easy 5 mile recovery run.
I started off nice and slow. I ran a loop around my neighborhood (which is about a mile). I then ran down to the elementary school and ran the Blue Eagle 5k loop. This can be a little challenging with some small hills, but running it with an easy effort was no problem.
My legs weren't killing me, but they sure didn't feel great either. I'm not sure they cared too much for running on the pavement. It is actually better for them than stone rail trails are though.
The weather was quite nice. There was no sun out, but it was in the mid 40s with very little wind. I would sure take that all winter. I wore a jacket, but would've had on less if I was running faster.
This run was quite boring and uneventful. The miles seemed to go by slowly. That's partly because I'm used to riding my bike in this area and covering the distance at a much faster clip. I had a couple dogs bark at me, but that was about it.
Even without much effort, I ran quite a few miles around an 8 minute pace. My legs did come around and the pace quickened as the run went on. After finishing the race course, I ran a loop in the elementary school parking lot. I finished the run with a partial loop of the neighborhood.
After delivering a dinner order, I went out and ran again before another order. Since our store is near the Jordan Creek Parkway, I decided to run there. I've been waiting to check it out at night anyway (even though I'm pretty sure that isn't allowed).
It was just as nice from a weather standpoint as it was earlier in the day. I wore a lightweight long sleeve top and shorts. I was even sweating pretty good by the end of the run.
I parked on the paved lot next to some apartments. I figured this would be better at night as opposed to the regular lot. My legs didn't like the idea of beginning on the paved path along the river, but that section didn't last long. Before I knew it, I was over the "Bridge to Nowhere" and then climbing up the ridge trail.
This was fun, but with so many interconnecting trails, I kept sort of getting lost. I could see the apartment complex lights below, so I always had a general idea of where I was. After weaving in and out, I went down the ridge and back to the paved section. It was over a mile into the run.
My headlamp isn't the greatest and the battery seems to be dieing too. I couldn't see very well. Thankfully, this is an easy trail without too many rocks or significant elevation changes.
After being on the paved path for a bit, I climbed the steepest trail section of the route. There is a ledge and that made it kind of interesting, but it wasn't too dangerous. Still, it probably wasn't the best idea to be running this section alone and at night. I did stumble a couple times going up it and I stumbled a few more times during the run.
When the climb was done, I was now to the tricky section. I can find my way out of here in the daylight, but evidently not in the darkness. I kept going round and round. Every time that I thought I was headed the correct way, the trail would curve back the other way. I probably even ran a lot of the same sections. So much looked familiar. Eventually, I came to the main path. I then came out to a big cut through and knew exactly where it went to. It led to one of the disc golf holes and down the hill.
I went downhill and then ran the flat open section through the disc golf course. I came out on the baseball fields and ran through the course some more. I'm getting pretty familiar with this section. I went by a pond and then crossed a footbridge. I headed back along the creek and was in my normal parking area before long.
By now, I was over 4.5 miles. Something ran out of the bushes in this section. It was pretty loud, so I'm thinking it was a deer. I ran over the main path again and then took a section down the creek. I came out by the "Bridge to Nowhere" and again ran the main paved path back to my car.
When I was back at my car, there was another car in the lot. Someone was in it too. I wasn't crazy about that. I had some more distance to go, so I ran a short segment through the apartment complex. The car left as I was running back. I finished up with 6 miles.
It was a solid day and I was glad to be done with it. I wanted to run 10 miles for the second run, but the legs weren't feeling it and it was too hard to see. I'll have to put it two more solid days to finish the week. I'm hoping to run 12 miles tomorrow, maybe at Jacobsburg. I would like to go on trails. On Saturday, I might run twice, but break it up into 2 runs.
Afternoon Road Run: 5 miles - 41:57 (8:24 pace)
Night Trail Run: 6 miles - 1:03:07 (10:31 pace)
I couldn't get myself to run in the morning, which I think was probably a good thing because I don't think my legs could've handled it after yesterday's hard run. In the afternoon, I didn't have much time, so I ran the neighborhoods by my house. I hate running there, so I rarely do that. The plan was a super easy 5 mile recovery run.
I started off nice and slow. I ran a loop around my neighborhood (which is about a mile). I then ran down to the elementary school and ran the Blue Eagle 5k loop. This can be a little challenging with some small hills, but running it with an easy effort was no problem.
My legs weren't killing me, but they sure didn't feel great either. I'm not sure they cared too much for running on the pavement. It is actually better for them than stone rail trails are though.
The weather was quite nice. There was no sun out, but it was in the mid 40s with very little wind. I would sure take that all winter. I wore a jacket, but would've had on less if I was running faster.
This run was quite boring and uneventful. The miles seemed to go by slowly. That's partly because I'm used to riding my bike in this area and covering the distance at a much faster clip. I had a couple dogs bark at me, but that was about it.
Even without much effort, I ran quite a few miles around an 8 minute pace. My legs did come around and the pace quickened as the run went on. After finishing the race course, I ran a loop in the elementary school parking lot. I finished the run with a partial loop of the neighborhood.
After delivering a dinner order, I went out and ran again before another order. Since our store is near the Jordan Creek Parkway, I decided to run there. I've been waiting to check it out at night anyway (even though I'm pretty sure that isn't allowed).
It was just as nice from a weather standpoint as it was earlier in the day. I wore a lightweight long sleeve top and shorts. I was even sweating pretty good by the end of the run.
I parked on the paved lot next to some apartments. I figured this would be better at night as opposed to the regular lot. My legs didn't like the idea of beginning on the paved path along the river, but that section didn't last long. Before I knew it, I was over the "Bridge to Nowhere" and then climbing up the ridge trail.
This was fun, but with so many interconnecting trails, I kept sort of getting lost. I could see the apartment complex lights below, so I always had a general idea of where I was. After weaving in and out, I went down the ridge and back to the paved section. It was over a mile into the run.
My headlamp isn't the greatest and the battery seems to be dieing too. I couldn't see very well. Thankfully, this is an easy trail without too many rocks or significant elevation changes.
After being on the paved path for a bit, I climbed the steepest trail section of the route. There is a ledge and that made it kind of interesting, but it wasn't too dangerous. Still, it probably wasn't the best idea to be running this section alone and at night. I did stumble a couple times going up it and I stumbled a few more times during the run.
When the climb was done, I was now to the tricky section. I can find my way out of here in the daylight, but evidently not in the darkness. I kept going round and round. Every time that I thought I was headed the correct way, the trail would curve back the other way. I probably even ran a lot of the same sections. So much looked familiar. Eventually, I came to the main path. I then came out to a big cut through and knew exactly where it went to. It led to one of the disc golf holes and down the hill.
I went downhill and then ran the flat open section through the disc golf course. I came out on the baseball fields and ran through the course some more. I'm getting pretty familiar with this section. I went by a pond and then crossed a footbridge. I headed back along the creek and was in my normal parking area before long.
By now, I was over 4.5 miles. Something ran out of the bushes in this section. It was pretty loud, so I'm thinking it was a deer. I ran over the main path again and then took a section down the creek. I came out by the "Bridge to Nowhere" and again ran the main paved path back to my car.
When I was back at my car, there was another car in the lot. Someone was in it too. I wasn't crazy about that. I had some more distance to go, so I ran a short segment through the apartment complex. The car left as I was running back. I finished up with 6 miles.
It was a solid day and I was glad to be done with it. I wanted to run 10 miles for the second run, but the legs weren't feeling it and it was too hard to see. I'll have to put it two more solid days to finish the week. I'm hoping to run 12 miles tomorrow, maybe at Jacobsburg. I would like to go on trails. On Saturday, I might run twice, but break it up into 2 runs.
Afternoon Road Run: 5 miles - 41:57 (8:24 pace)
Night Trail Run: 6 miles - 1:03:07 (10:31 pace)
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Sometimes You Have to Just Keep Going
After a great easy run on the Nor-Bath Trail yesterday, I headed there again for some hard running. I had a doctor's appointment, so I got there late in the afternoon. I wasn't quite sure whether I was going to run longer segments or some short and fast repeats.
The wind was much better than a day ago, but it was still quite chilly. I went with a long sleeve top and shorts. I definitely developed some minor wind burn.
I warmed up for a mile and didn't feel all that great or fast, so I decided that there was no way I could run half mile repeats. Instead, I wanted to try a different type of workout. I've often seen workouts with several consecutive miles of hard running with a break in between and then several more miles of hard running. That is what I wanted to do. It was kind of like a combination of a tempo run and repeats. The plan was to run 4 miles pretty hard, then recover with 2 easy miles and finish up with another 4 miles of hard running.
I started off the fast part by running some decent times. However, I wasn't sure if I could keep it up. The legs didn't feel great at all. My breathing was okay. Hard mile 1 was a 6:42, but that took quite a bit of work.
The 2nd hard mile did have a road crossing, but that didn't really slow me. I just didn't feel strong and this mile really slipped. It dropped to a 6:48 and I was getting very discouraged. I was thinking of quitting and came very close to doing so. I was beginning to think that it just wasn't my day.
I decided instead that I just had to finish this first hard 4 mile segment. It didn't even matter what the pace was anymore. I had to at least get through that and then go from there. Originally, I was going to run the 2 miles out and then come back. Instead, I kept going.
The 3rd hard mile is where the magic finally started to happen. Suddenly, the legs started to come around and I began to feel much better. I ran a fast 6:36 mile. I now knew that at least this first segment would be solid.
Amazingly, I made it across Airport Road without needing to stop. That's a rarity during the busy evening hours. I continued on until almost the end of the trail. The 4th hard mile was even better than the previous one and I finished the segment with a 6:33. I was actually amazed that I had that much speed and I was certainly working hard, but felt like I could've pushed even a little more too.
I do well with shorter repeats, so I was interested to see how my body would handle these 2 recovery miles. I wanted to see how I'd bounce back. Neither one was exactly slow, so that was a good sign. The last one was even a 7:15.
I started up the 2nd hard segment. The legs took a little time to warmup, but that made for a conservative start. Although they just felt okay, I was encouraged by a strong pace. This 1st mile was a 6:37. At one point, I think I was going downhill because I felt awesome.
Things continued on the same path. I was in such a groove. The next mile was a 6:40. I was running quite consistent now. With the cold air, I felt a little funny, but I just kept pushing on. I turned around right before my car and had 2 more hard miles to go.
I had saved up a little and could push a bit more now. The legs started to feel slightly weird though, so I didn't want to go overboard. When I had started this 2nd segment, I didn't know what to expect. I just figured if I could run under 7 minutes for each one, I'd be thrilled. Now, I was well under that.
My times even dropped for both of these last 2 hard miles. They went to 6:36 and then 6:33 as I finished up going uphill slightly, but also really pushed myself. I was so thrilled when I finished.
I was even more excited when I looked at the overall pace. After 11 total miles, it was 6:58. That is under my half marathon PR and more amazing is that that is with 3 of those miles run at an easy effort. After a much slower last mile, the pace was a 7:09. I could've easily run a half marathon PR today if I tried to do so.
For the first fast segment, my time for the 4 miles was 26:39. That is an average pace of 6:40. I was surprisingly even faster on the second segment. It was a total time of 26:26, with a pace of 6:37. Those 8 hard miles combined for a time of 53:05 (6:38 pace)
This was an other amazing run that just makes Saturday all the more frustrating. I guess I just need to get over it. Maybe I need to sign up for another race. I obviously love the surface on the Nor-Bath Trail. I might push myself there and try to run a half marathon PR in the near future. I do also need to get onto some roads or paved trails and test my pace out there too at some point. If I can't run well on roads, then I have a lot of work to do to reach my goals.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to run twice. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I was thinking of going to New Jersey for the afternoon run, but I have to work at dinner time. That run will definitely be on a trail.
12 miles - 1:25:47 (7:09 pace)
The wind was much better than a day ago, but it was still quite chilly. I went with a long sleeve top and shorts. I definitely developed some minor wind burn.
I warmed up for a mile and didn't feel all that great or fast, so I decided that there was no way I could run half mile repeats. Instead, I wanted to try a different type of workout. I've often seen workouts with several consecutive miles of hard running with a break in between and then several more miles of hard running. That is what I wanted to do. It was kind of like a combination of a tempo run and repeats. The plan was to run 4 miles pretty hard, then recover with 2 easy miles and finish up with another 4 miles of hard running.
I started off the fast part by running some decent times. However, I wasn't sure if I could keep it up. The legs didn't feel great at all. My breathing was okay. Hard mile 1 was a 6:42, but that took quite a bit of work.
The 2nd hard mile did have a road crossing, but that didn't really slow me. I just didn't feel strong and this mile really slipped. It dropped to a 6:48 and I was getting very discouraged. I was thinking of quitting and came very close to doing so. I was beginning to think that it just wasn't my day.
I decided instead that I just had to finish this first hard 4 mile segment. It didn't even matter what the pace was anymore. I had to at least get through that and then go from there. Originally, I was going to run the 2 miles out and then come back. Instead, I kept going.
The 3rd hard mile is where the magic finally started to happen. Suddenly, the legs started to come around and I began to feel much better. I ran a fast 6:36 mile. I now knew that at least this first segment would be solid.
Amazingly, I made it across Airport Road without needing to stop. That's a rarity during the busy evening hours. I continued on until almost the end of the trail. The 4th hard mile was even better than the previous one and I finished the segment with a 6:33. I was actually amazed that I had that much speed and I was certainly working hard, but felt like I could've pushed even a little more too.
I do well with shorter repeats, so I was interested to see how my body would handle these 2 recovery miles. I wanted to see how I'd bounce back. Neither one was exactly slow, so that was a good sign. The last one was even a 7:15.
I started up the 2nd hard segment. The legs took a little time to warmup, but that made for a conservative start. Although they just felt okay, I was encouraged by a strong pace. This 1st mile was a 6:37. At one point, I think I was going downhill because I felt awesome.
Things continued on the same path. I was in such a groove. The next mile was a 6:40. I was running quite consistent now. With the cold air, I felt a little funny, but I just kept pushing on. I turned around right before my car and had 2 more hard miles to go.
I had saved up a little and could push a bit more now. The legs started to feel slightly weird though, so I didn't want to go overboard. When I had started this 2nd segment, I didn't know what to expect. I just figured if I could run under 7 minutes for each one, I'd be thrilled. Now, I was well under that.
My times even dropped for both of these last 2 hard miles. They went to 6:36 and then 6:33 as I finished up going uphill slightly, but also really pushed myself. I was so thrilled when I finished.
I was even more excited when I looked at the overall pace. After 11 total miles, it was 6:58. That is under my half marathon PR and more amazing is that that is with 3 of those miles run at an easy effort. After a much slower last mile, the pace was a 7:09. I could've easily run a half marathon PR today if I tried to do so.
For the first fast segment, my time for the 4 miles was 26:39. That is an average pace of 6:40. I was surprisingly even faster on the second segment. It was a total time of 26:26, with a pace of 6:37. Those 8 hard miles combined for a time of 53:05 (6:38 pace)
This was an other amazing run that just makes Saturday all the more frustrating. I guess I just need to get over it. Maybe I need to sign up for another race. I obviously love the surface on the Nor-Bath Trail. I might push myself there and try to run a half marathon PR in the near future. I do also need to get onto some roads or paved trails and test my pace out there too at some point. If I can't run well on roads, then I have a lot of work to do to reach my goals.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to run twice. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I was thinking of going to New Jersey for the afternoon run, but I have to work at dinner time. That run will definitely be on a trail.
12 miles - 1:25:47 (7:09 pace)
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Where Was This?
Yesterday was a fun trail run. Today, I wanted to run hard again. However, it was just very windy and tomorrow looks like the better day, so I pushed the hard workout back. I'm going to a basketball game this evening, so I needed a "quick" 10 mile run (as if there is really such a thing). I couldn't mess with challenging trails and needed something flat like the Nor-Bath Trail.
I started at the far end of Bicentennial Park and headed toward Bath. Originally, I was just going to wear a long sleeve tech shirt with shorts. However, it was just too windy for that, so I went with a jacket and short sleeves underneath.
I started off comfortable and nice and easy. I just relaxed and enjoyed the run as much as I could with the wind blowing. It seemed more like a side wind than a headwind, but whatever the case it was constant and present throughout a lot of the run.
I didn't even look at my watch until almost a mile into the run. Even then, I just glanced at it. It took me forever to cross Airport Road. It must've been about 15 seconds. I noticed something odd shortly after that. I had seen my pace before the road crossing and overall it was 8:21. Not too long after the road, I looked down and it was still 8:21 (even after the road crossing). I thought that was very strange because it meant that I was running much faster than an 8:21 pace for this second mile.
Normally, my easy effort is around 8 minutes. I had to already be going faster than that. I ran all the way to the end of the trail and it was about 2.67 miles when I turned around. I headed back and hit finished mile 3. I was blown away to see it as 7:37.
I was putting in so little effort and yet the pace was very quick. I guess that shows how quickly I'm improving and maybe also just how much I enjoy the surface of this trail. The legs did get a little sore around mile 4, but that was only minor. I crossed Airport Road easily the second time around.
I wasn't running hard and the only issue I had with breathing was some minor difficulty due to the wind. Mile 4 was 7:26 and then mile 5 was 7:17. I had quite a few race miles around 7:17 the other day. The other awesome thing is that I wasn't even at my favorite part of the trail yet, the fastest section between Weaversville Road and Savage Road.
I made it over Weaversville quickly and had no trouble at any more of the road crossings. Miles 6 and 7 did have more direct headwind and some uphill and those were still run at 7:25 and 7:35. I turned around when I got to the neighborhood just past mile 7.
Now, I knew I'd have a nice downhill and non windy next mile. That was the case and I got into a great groove and ran a 7:20. I continued to amaze myself and my legs came back too. I couldn't believe how strong they felt and how night and day it was from the other day.
Even on the section near Bicentennial Park, I still felt pretty good. I continued to try to hold back. I was getting annoyed by the wind. Still, mile 9 was a 7:13 without much effort and I ran most of the final mile on the pavement through the park and that was again a 7:13.
This was such a great easy run and now I'm just more frustrated by the awful results of the half marathon. I was thinking maybe I overestimated myself heading into Saturday, but I really don't think that's the case. I hate making excuses, but I clearly hated the surface on Saturday and I certainly love the surface of the Nor-Bath Trail. I can't believe how much of a difference it makes, but it has a pretty significant impact. If I ran this hard today, I think I could've had no trouble running a sub 6:50 pace for the 10 miles.
I'm going to run there again tomorrow and run hard as well. I might do an easy morning run too. For the afternoon run, I can't decide whether I want to try a tempo run or shorter 800 repeats. I was actually thinking about doing 4 miles hard then a recovery for a mile or two and another 4 miles hard. Maybe I'll just start it off and see how I feel then.
10 miles - 1:15:58 (7:36 pace)
I started at the far end of Bicentennial Park and headed toward Bath. Originally, I was just going to wear a long sleeve tech shirt with shorts. However, it was just too windy for that, so I went with a jacket and short sleeves underneath.
I started off comfortable and nice and easy. I just relaxed and enjoyed the run as much as I could with the wind blowing. It seemed more like a side wind than a headwind, but whatever the case it was constant and present throughout a lot of the run.
I didn't even look at my watch until almost a mile into the run. Even then, I just glanced at it. It took me forever to cross Airport Road. It must've been about 15 seconds. I noticed something odd shortly after that. I had seen my pace before the road crossing and overall it was 8:21. Not too long after the road, I looked down and it was still 8:21 (even after the road crossing). I thought that was very strange because it meant that I was running much faster than an 8:21 pace for this second mile.
Normally, my easy effort is around 8 minutes. I had to already be going faster than that. I ran all the way to the end of the trail and it was about 2.67 miles when I turned around. I headed back and hit finished mile 3. I was blown away to see it as 7:37.
I was putting in so little effort and yet the pace was very quick. I guess that shows how quickly I'm improving and maybe also just how much I enjoy the surface of this trail. The legs did get a little sore around mile 4, but that was only minor. I crossed Airport Road easily the second time around.
I wasn't running hard and the only issue I had with breathing was some minor difficulty due to the wind. Mile 4 was 7:26 and then mile 5 was 7:17. I had quite a few race miles around 7:17 the other day. The other awesome thing is that I wasn't even at my favorite part of the trail yet, the fastest section between Weaversville Road and Savage Road.
I made it over Weaversville quickly and had no trouble at any more of the road crossings. Miles 6 and 7 did have more direct headwind and some uphill and those were still run at 7:25 and 7:35. I turned around when I got to the neighborhood just past mile 7.
Now, I knew I'd have a nice downhill and non windy next mile. That was the case and I got into a great groove and ran a 7:20. I continued to amaze myself and my legs came back too. I couldn't believe how strong they felt and how night and day it was from the other day.
Even on the section near Bicentennial Park, I still felt pretty good. I continued to try to hold back. I was getting annoyed by the wind. Still, mile 9 was a 7:13 without much effort and I ran most of the final mile on the pavement through the park and that was again a 7:13.
This was such a great easy run and now I'm just more frustrated by the awful results of the half marathon. I was thinking maybe I overestimated myself heading into Saturday, but I really don't think that's the case. I hate making excuses, but I clearly hated the surface on Saturday and I certainly love the surface of the Nor-Bath Trail. I can't believe how much of a difference it makes, but it has a pretty significant impact. If I ran this hard today, I think I could've had no trouble running a sub 6:50 pace for the 10 miles.
I'm going to run there again tomorrow and run hard as well. I might do an easy morning run too. For the afternoon run, I can't decide whether I want to try a tempo run or shorter 800 repeats. I was actually thinking about doing 4 miles hard then a recovery for a mile or two and another 4 miles hard. Maybe I'll just start it off and see how I feel then.
10 miles - 1:15:58 (7:36 pace)
Monday, November 18, 2013
No Plan Day
I recovered fairly well from the disappointing half marathon on Sunday. I had some minor soreness yesterday, but that was largely because I was on my feet a lot of the day watching friends do well at the Philadelphia Marathon. Otherwise, I felt good.
I woke up feeling kind of weird this morning. I'm still thrilled at where my training is at. I had a bad race and it was just a test run anyway. At the same time, a bad race is still frustrating and hard to shake. The biggest issue is that you want to get that bad taste out of your mouth, but with it being so late in the year, I won't have a shot at another half marathon or longer race for months. I have the half marathon in February in New York, but the weather should be terrible for that. Maybe I just need to focus on getting my 5K time back under 20 minutes as redemption.
After feeling that way, I needed to just get out and get a run in. I also wanted a fun, relaxing trail run. I never run on much of a plan, but before I go out for a run, I usually get an idea of how much I'm going to run. Today, I just decided to totally go on feel. Of course I would've liked 8-12 miles, but really that didn't matter. I just wanted to start running and then stop whenever I felt like it. It was a true no plan day.
I like the trails at Jordan Creek Parkway. They aren't too challenging and they are a lot of fun. I just wish they were longer. I decided to head there and run.
The temperature was great, but it was windy. That made it a little chilly walking around, but it was fine during the run. I wore short sleeves and shorts.
I started off on the trail along the creek, like I usually do. There were a few people playing disc golf, so I didn't want to go that way. The trail was much different than the last time I was there. All the leaves are gone and it seems barren. Thankfully, there aren't many rocks hiding under the leaves.
Before long, I was at the "Bridge to Nowhere." I ran the path along the creek first. This is fun, flat and easy. I was just enjoying the run and taking everything in. I didn't even think to look at my watch. I did an out and back in this section and then took the other trail to climb to the top of the ridge.
This is a relatively short hill and not too difficult to get up. Still, when I was at the top, I was impressed with how high up I actually was. With no more leaves, I could really see the creek below. I had fun running through this section and then I headed back down and back across the "Bridge to Nowhere."
I then ran along the paved part of the path. A short distance later is a lengthy climb. This actually isn't that hard and I only started breathing heavy at the very top of it. It is a little tricky because the trail is right on the edge of the ridge.
After the climbing, it was mostly back to the flat section at the top. I ran all through there. I took several different ways and ended up looping back to the same spot several times. It was fun to explore more trails and also adding some distance.
Finally, I ran down one of the disc golf holes. Then I ran through the disc golf course area. I hit mile 4 and decided to look at my watch for the first time. I had not even given it a thought up to that point. By now, I figured that I would get back to my car around mile 5. I figured that I was feeling good and would probably just run 2 more miles at that point.
I got back to my car and decided to head back out the original way again. The legs were getting slightly tired, but not too bad. I just continued along. I decided that rather than do an out and back, I'd go over the "Bridge to Nowhere" and run to the top of the ridge and then back down to the bottom to do a loop.
At the bridge, a woman was calling for her dog. She asked me if I saw it and I told her I had not. I was glad to see later on that she found it. I got back to my car again around 7.5 miles.
I wanted a short out and back to finish up at 8 miles. I had to wait for a guy to throw his disc. I continued on until I got to a small pedestrian bridge over the creek. I then came back and hit 8 miles.
It was a solid day and more importantly an enjoyable run. I can't complain at all about the weather or the trail. It was fun to just run relaxed and easy.
Tomorrow, I'm not sure yet if I'll be running hard or not. I might go to a basketball game in the evening and that could dictate my schedule. Eventually, I want to get to the site of my winter 50k that is coming up.
I thought about biking tonight, but it is windy and I don't think I have the energy to do it. Maybe I'll change my mind. I definitely won't be biking as much as it gets colder as I was during the summer. Hopefully I can keep a solid biking base anyway.
8 miles - 1:18:28 (9:49 pace)
I woke up feeling kind of weird this morning. I'm still thrilled at where my training is at. I had a bad race and it was just a test run anyway. At the same time, a bad race is still frustrating and hard to shake. The biggest issue is that you want to get that bad taste out of your mouth, but with it being so late in the year, I won't have a shot at another half marathon or longer race for months. I have the half marathon in February in New York, but the weather should be terrible for that. Maybe I just need to focus on getting my 5K time back under 20 minutes as redemption.
After feeling that way, I needed to just get out and get a run in. I also wanted a fun, relaxing trail run. I never run on much of a plan, but before I go out for a run, I usually get an idea of how much I'm going to run. Today, I just decided to totally go on feel. Of course I would've liked 8-12 miles, but really that didn't matter. I just wanted to start running and then stop whenever I felt like it. It was a true no plan day.
I like the trails at Jordan Creek Parkway. They aren't too challenging and they are a lot of fun. I just wish they were longer. I decided to head there and run.
The temperature was great, but it was windy. That made it a little chilly walking around, but it was fine during the run. I wore short sleeves and shorts.
I started off on the trail along the creek, like I usually do. There were a few people playing disc golf, so I didn't want to go that way. The trail was much different than the last time I was there. All the leaves are gone and it seems barren. Thankfully, there aren't many rocks hiding under the leaves.
Before long, I was at the "Bridge to Nowhere." I ran the path along the creek first. This is fun, flat and easy. I was just enjoying the run and taking everything in. I didn't even think to look at my watch. I did an out and back in this section and then took the other trail to climb to the top of the ridge.
This is a relatively short hill and not too difficult to get up. Still, when I was at the top, I was impressed with how high up I actually was. With no more leaves, I could really see the creek below. I had fun running through this section and then I headed back down and back across the "Bridge to Nowhere."
I then ran along the paved part of the path. A short distance later is a lengthy climb. This actually isn't that hard and I only started breathing heavy at the very top of it. It is a little tricky because the trail is right on the edge of the ridge.
After the climbing, it was mostly back to the flat section at the top. I ran all through there. I took several different ways and ended up looping back to the same spot several times. It was fun to explore more trails and also adding some distance.
Finally, I ran down one of the disc golf holes. Then I ran through the disc golf course area. I hit mile 4 and decided to look at my watch for the first time. I had not even given it a thought up to that point. By now, I figured that I would get back to my car around mile 5. I figured that I was feeling good and would probably just run 2 more miles at that point.
I got back to my car and decided to head back out the original way again. The legs were getting slightly tired, but not too bad. I just continued along. I decided that rather than do an out and back, I'd go over the "Bridge to Nowhere" and run to the top of the ridge and then back down to the bottom to do a loop.
At the bridge, a woman was calling for her dog. She asked me if I saw it and I told her I had not. I was glad to see later on that she found it. I got back to my car again around 7.5 miles.
I wanted a short out and back to finish up at 8 miles. I had to wait for a guy to throw his disc. I continued on until I got to a small pedestrian bridge over the creek. I then came back and hit 8 miles.
It was a solid day and more importantly an enjoyable run. I can't complain at all about the weather or the trail. It was fun to just run relaxed and easy.
Tomorrow, I'm not sure yet if I'll be running hard or not. I might go to a basketball game in the evening and that could dictate my schedule. Eventually, I want to get to the site of my winter 50k that is coming up.
I thought about biking tonight, but it is windy and I don't think I have the energy to do it. Maybe I'll change my mind. I definitely won't be biking as much as it gets colder as I was during the summer. Hopefully I can keep a solid biking base anyway.
8 miles - 1:18:28 (9:49 pace)
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Delaware Canal Half Marathon
After running well lately, I decided to sign up for the Delaware Canal Half Marathon at the last minute. I was hoping I could PR, but really I just wanted to test out where I was at. I still only have about 3 recent hard runs under my belt.
It was an unseasonably warm day. I was unsure what to wear. I wanted to run in a singlet, but had to convince myself that it would be warm enough to do so. Then I saw a guy parked next to me with a Boston Marathon jacket and he was wearing a singlet to race. At that point, I was sold.
This is a race on a narrow canal towpath from Washington Crossings State Park. Since it is narrow, they had wave starts. I predicted a 1:32 finish time, hoping to get into the first wave. Instead, I was in the second one.
As expected, the beginning was a little quick, although it didn't feel quick. Toward the end of the first mile, it slowed and I open with a nice 6:59. I was hoping to run a lot of 7 minute miles and then push toward the end. This was a perfect start.
My breathing was a little hard during this beginning portion of the run, but I settled in. Still, my legs didn't feel great. I just pushed through and tried to be solid. Some people passed me and I passed a few others.
Around the 5k point, a few people started to slip and I passed them. I felt kind of good for a few brief moments. That wouldn't last. My legs didn't feel strong. I also was running on feel and instead of 7 minute miles, it was more like 7:10 miles.
I just continued on. I was hoping that maybe I was going slightly uphill at this point and that coming back would be downhill. I got to mile 4, then 5 and then 6. I actually didn't see the leader coming back until I got to mile 6. I passed a woman right after that.
I was thrilled to be at the turnaround point. I knew this would make or break my race. I needed to be running downhill and I needed my sore legs to get a break. I was hoping that if it was a slight downhill that my pace could be faster too.
That didn't happen however. My legs were bothering me just as much or more. This was frustrating because my lungs are so far behind my legs right now. I wasn't breathing hard though. It was my legs that were killing me on this stone surface and thus holding me back.
I just tried to survive until the final 5k. My pace was only slipping slightly. A PR would've been difficult, but I was hoping I could just push through that last 5k. That never happened though.
I was running around a 7:11 pace at mile 9. Then, almost out of nowhere, my upper quad started to bother me. I've had some slight soreness in this area, but nothing like this. It got so bad that I had no choice, but to stop and walk.
I tried to stretch, but still had no luck. Even walking was hard. I was worried because I didn't really want to walk 4 miles to the finish. I just continued to walk until it started to feel better. Then, at mile 10 I was feeling pretty good.
At this point, I decided to run. I started off very slowly and no longer had any issues. When I got past a half mile of running, I was thrilled. I figured if I could just make it to mile 11, I could walk the rest if needed.
I kept going and going. Every now and then I passed one of the people that had passed me while I was walking. A few of them had asked about me. I'm glad I ran a 50k a few weeks back, so I knew how to just survive.
I got better as the run went on and I was now running back to the pace of the people that I was running with. After a slow 8:38 mile, I ran an 8:05. Since I felt pretty good now, I pushed it in during the final half mile. Mile 13 was at least a respectable 7:31.
I was very frustrated with the race, but happy to be done. I was also very happy that I recovered and finished the run. I'm still not sure what the problem was, but I guess it isn't an injury. I didn't drink enough fluids, so maybe it was just a cramp. After one mile over 15 minutes (thanks to the walking), I still managed a 1:45.
I do like disappointing races because I feel like I usually learn something. I didn't run stupid though, so I'm not sure what to take from it. I guess the lesson is never to run on stone surfaces for races. I sort of already knew that though.
I was somewhat disappointed that I couldn't run faster when I did run hard, but oh well. I still got a decent 9 mile workout and a little bit better feel of where I'm at now. I have some ambitious goals for the winter and spring and I'll keep working hard to achieve them.
Tomorrow, I'm going to watch some friends run the Philadelphia Half Marathon and Marathon. That should lift my spirits a little. All of my future goal races are more of the fun variety and maybe I need that. If I feel good, I'll run again on Monday.
13.1 miles - 1:45:06 (8:01 pace)
It was an unseasonably warm day. I was unsure what to wear. I wanted to run in a singlet, but had to convince myself that it would be warm enough to do so. Then I saw a guy parked next to me with a Boston Marathon jacket and he was wearing a singlet to race. At that point, I was sold.
This is a race on a narrow canal towpath from Washington Crossings State Park. Since it is narrow, they had wave starts. I predicted a 1:32 finish time, hoping to get into the first wave. Instead, I was in the second one.As expected, the beginning was a little quick, although it didn't feel quick. Toward the end of the first mile, it slowed and I open with a nice 6:59. I was hoping to run a lot of 7 minute miles and then push toward the end. This was a perfect start.
My breathing was a little hard during this beginning portion of the run, but I settled in. Still, my legs didn't feel great. I just pushed through and tried to be solid. Some people passed me and I passed a few others.
Around the 5k point, a few people started to slip and I passed them. I felt kind of good for a few brief moments. That wouldn't last. My legs didn't feel strong. I also was running on feel and instead of 7 minute miles, it was more like 7:10 miles.
I just continued on. I was hoping that maybe I was going slightly uphill at this point and that coming back would be downhill. I got to mile 4, then 5 and then 6. I actually didn't see the leader coming back until I got to mile 6. I passed a woman right after that.
I was thrilled to be at the turnaround point. I knew this would make or break my race. I needed to be running downhill and I needed my sore legs to get a break. I was hoping that if it was a slight downhill that my pace could be faster too.
That didn't happen however. My legs were bothering me just as much or more. This was frustrating because my lungs are so far behind my legs right now. I wasn't breathing hard though. It was my legs that were killing me on this stone surface and thus holding me back.
I just tried to survive until the final 5k. My pace was only slipping slightly. A PR would've been difficult, but I was hoping I could just push through that last 5k. That never happened though.
I was running around a 7:11 pace at mile 9. Then, almost out of nowhere, my upper quad started to bother me. I've had some slight soreness in this area, but nothing like this. It got so bad that I had no choice, but to stop and walk.
I tried to stretch, but still had no luck. Even walking was hard. I was worried because I didn't really want to walk 4 miles to the finish. I just continued to walk until it started to feel better. Then, at mile 10 I was feeling pretty good.
At this point, I decided to run. I started off very slowly and no longer had any issues. When I got past a half mile of running, I was thrilled. I figured if I could just make it to mile 11, I could walk the rest if needed.
I kept going and going. Every now and then I passed one of the people that had passed me while I was walking. A few of them had asked about me. I'm glad I ran a 50k a few weeks back, so I knew how to just survive.
I got better as the run went on and I was now running back to the pace of the people that I was running with. After a slow 8:38 mile, I ran an 8:05. Since I felt pretty good now, I pushed it in during the final half mile. Mile 13 was at least a respectable 7:31.
I was very frustrated with the race, but happy to be done. I was also very happy that I recovered and finished the run. I'm still not sure what the problem was, but I guess it isn't an injury. I didn't drink enough fluids, so maybe it was just a cramp. After one mile over 15 minutes (thanks to the walking), I still managed a 1:45.
I do like disappointing races because I feel like I usually learn something. I didn't run stupid though, so I'm not sure what to take from it. I guess the lesson is never to run on stone surfaces for races. I sort of already knew that though.
I was somewhat disappointed that I couldn't run faster when I did run hard, but oh well. I still got a decent 9 mile workout and a little bit better feel of where I'm at now. I have some ambitious goals for the winter and spring and I'll keep working hard to achieve them.
Tomorrow, I'm going to watch some friends run the Philadelphia Half Marathon and Marathon. That should lift my spirits a little. All of my future goal races are more of the fun variety and maybe I need that. If I feel good, I'll run again on Monday.
13.1 miles - 1:45:06 (8:01 pace)
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Exploring South Mountain (Emmaus)
I had a pretty good, fast run on Monday evening. Then, we got hit with a cold spell. It was freezing and windy and I just couldn't drag myself out the door for 2 days. I did nothing at all. I could justify it since I signed up for a half marathon this weekend. Rest before a big race never hurts.
Finally, it was a little nicer today. It was in the upper 40s anyway with a breeze. Usually I eat and then run later in the afternoon or at night. Today, I decided to run right after work, before eating.
Since I was in Whitehall for work, I figured that it isn't too far to Emmaus. I don't run there often, so I thought that would be refreshing. A couple months ago, I ran South Mountain in the dark before I realized how stupid that was.
Every time I've run there, I was either out of shape and struggled with the climbing or it was simply too hot. That certainly wasn't the case today. I headed out with a long sleeve top and shorts. I might've even gone with a short sleeve top if I brought one with me.
I often start out at the connector trail, rather than at Apline Street. I do that because I want a flat warmup. I don't like that surface though, so I might change that up next time. After 2 days of rest, the legs felt kind of beat up early. They weren't as fresh as I expected. Hopefully it was just the awful stone surface. It is hard, but also loose and has no grip.
After about 2/3 of a mile, I was on Alpine Street and the real trail. The dirt was much nicer, although there were leaves everywhere, so the grip wasn't the best. Some of the rocks were hidden by the leaves and I nearly tripped from time to time.
This is definitely not an easy trail as it climbs up the mountain. The good thing is that a lot of it is gradual. I knew it would be tough at the start getting up the trail, but things would get better on the way back as it would mostly be downhill.
My breathing in the cooler air with some wind was a slight problem. The bigger issue is that I'm still breaking in my trail shoes and the bottom of my foot hurts on the uphill portions of the run. I just battled though, knowing that it would get easier.
I had started off going to the left. There were a lot of switchbacks. It wasn't too long until I was to this neat boulder outcrop. I then got onto the red trail from the orange one. The only time I had gone on this section was a hot evening with a group run. I nearly didn't make it out of there alive.
There was a guy with his dog and later on another guy at the powerline opening. That part has a pretty nice view of Emmaus. Before that, I ended up on an unmarked section for a short bit, but it came back on to the red trail. I nearly missed a turn at one other spot too. The leaves can hide the trail this time of the year. In this area, the trail is on a ledge, so I had to be cautious.
When I came to the powerline, I ran up it for some time. I was caught off guard early on. One section was a little wet and it was actually frozen. I realized that it had been cold the last few days, but I had not even thought about things being frozen yet, especially since it was now warm.
The powerline was a bit rocky, but the climbing wasn't too bad. I went off on what I thought was a trail, but it went to a dead end. After a slight downhill, I started heading up another powerline. That became too much of a climb, so I turned around at 2.6 miles. The plan was for 6 total miles, so I wasn't doing too bad at this point.
I would've liked to have explored more of the trails, but it was time to head back down. I'll have to do that in the future. I have still never gone off of the orange trail in the other direction and checked out those sections.
One thing I really love with trails is how focused you get. You are just worried about the next step and don't look at your watch too often. That makes the run go by quick. It sure did on this day. Before I knew it, I was back on the orange trail.
This time, I headed down the opposite direction to complete the loop. It wasn't long before I was at the bottom and I was kind of disappointed that I wasn't farther into the run. I was at 4.5 miles.
I decided to restart the loop and do a short out and back. At 4.8 miles, I came to a woman who was hiking and I just turned around. When I arrived back at the connector trail, I was over 5 miles.
Again, the connector trail was just awful. I was thankful that I didn't even have a mile to run on it. I passed a couple that was walking and was back to my car before too long. I had a short bit to finish up so I ran uphill on the road and then back down. My overall pace dropped and dropped. It was right at 10 minutes flat when I finished up.
I would certainly run in Emmaus more often if it was closer. Even so, I have to get there more often. I'd like to really get to know all the trails. They are fun and although challenging, really not too difficult. I didn't have to walk at all today.
I thought about biking this evening, but I think I'm just going to pass on that. I haven't rode since Saturday. I'll probably hop on it for 25 miles or so tomorrow. It should be nice and easy. Nothing too hard the day before the race. Maybe I'll run, but it won't be more than 3 easy miles just to get the legs going. I'm looking forward to the race. I think I can run a PR, but I guess we'll see.
6 miles - 59:59 (10:00 pace)
Finally, it was a little nicer today. It was in the upper 40s anyway with a breeze. Usually I eat and then run later in the afternoon or at night. Today, I decided to run right after work, before eating.
Since I was in Whitehall for work, I figured that it isn't too far to Emmaus. I don't run there often, so I thought that would be refreshing. A couple months ago, I ran South Mountain in the dark before I realized how stupid that was.
Every time I've run there, I was either out of shape and struggled with the climbing or it was simply too hot. That certainly wasn't the case today. I headed out with a long sleeve top and shorts. I might've even gone with a short sleeve top if I brought one with me.
I often start out at the connector trail, rather than at Apline Street. I do that because I want a flat warmup. I don't like that surface though, so I might change that up next time. After 2 days of rest, the legs felt kind of beat up early. They weren't as fresh as I expected. Hopefully it was just the awful stone surface. It is hard, but also loose and has no grip.
After about 2/3 of a mile, I was on Alpine Street and the real trail. The dirt was much nicer, although there were leaves everywhere, so the grip wasn't the best. Some of the rocks were hidden by the leaves and I nearly tripped from time to time.
This is definitely not an easy trail as it climbs up the mountain. The good thing is that a lot of it is gradual. I knew it would be tough at the start getting up the trail, but things would get better on the way back as it would mostly be downhill.
My breathing in the cooler air with some wind was a slight problem. The bigger issue is that I'm still breaking in my trail shoes and the bottom of my foot hurts on the uphill portions of the run. I just battled though, knowing that it would get easier.
I had started off going to the left. There were a lot of switchbacks. It wasn't too long until I was to this neat boulder outcrop. I then got onto the red trail from the orange one. The only time I had gone on this section was a hot evening with a group run. I nearly didn't make it out of there alive.
There was a guy with his dog and later on another guy at the powerline opening. That part has a pretty nice view of Emmaus. Before that, I ended up on an unmarked section for a short bit, but it came back on to the red trail. I nearly missed a turn at one other spot too. The leaves can hide the trail this time of the year. In this area, the trail is on a ledge, so I had to be cautious.
When I came to the powerline, I ran up it for some time. I was caught off guard early on. One section was a little wet and it was actually frozen. I realized that it had been cold the last few days, but I had not even thought about things being frozen yet, especially since it was now warm.
The powerline was a bit rocky, but the climbing wasn't too bad. I went off on what I thought was a trail, but it went to a dead end. After a slight downhill, I started heading up another powerline. That became too much of a climb, so I turned around at 2.6 miles. The plan was for 6 total miles, so I wasn't doing too bad at this point.
I would've liked to have explored more of the trails, but it was time to head back down. I'll have to do that in the future. I have still never gone off of the orange trail in the other direction and checked out those sections.
One thing I really love with trails is how focused you get. You are just worried about the next step and don't look at your watch too often. That makes the run go by quick. It sure did on this day. Before I knew it, I was back on the orange trail.
This time, I headed down the opposite direction to complete the loop. It wasn't long before I was at the bottom and I was kind of disappointed that I wasn't farther into the run. I was at 4.5 miles.
I decided to restart the loop and do a short out and back. At 4.8 miles, I came to a woman who was hiking and I just turned around. When I arrived back at the connector trail, I was over 5 miles.
Again, the connector trail was just awful. I was thankful that I didn't even have a mile to run on it. I passed a couple that was walking and was back to my car before too long. I had a short bit to finish up so I ran uphill on the road and then back down. My overall pace dropped and dropped. It was right at 10 minutes flat when I finished up.
I would certainly run in Emmaus more often if it was closer. Even so, I have to get there more often. I'd like to really get to know all the trails. They are fun and although challenging, really not too difficult. I didn't have to walk at all today.
I thought about biking this evening, but I think I'm just going to pass on that. I haven't rode since Saturday. I'll probably hop on it for 25 miles or so tomorrow. It should be nice and easy. Nothing too hard the day before the race. Maybe I'll run, but it won't be more than 3 easy miles just to get the legs going. I'm looking forward to the race. I think I can run a PR, but I guess we'll see.
6 miles - 59:59 (10:00 pace)
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