My Dogs are Barking because the race was TOO long.

October 16th, 2010 was a cold and WINDY day. But there was no snow or rain, so I won't complain too much. The animal rescue league of Bedford was holding their first annual 5K race. This is the place we got Dixie, my sleeping compadre so I have a special fondness for them.

I was feeling good, no issues that I could point to. Hoping for a new PR, as always. Roughly 200 runners, so it was cozy, and it was fundraiser so I knew there were a bunch of walkers so I knew there were some people I would beat.

The race started off at a good pace, hit the first turn and WHAM! Into a wall of wind. Bye-Bye PR. It wasn't just breezy, it was holding me back. I picked a girl as my rabbit, but after a mile either her pace picked up or mine dropped (probably mine dropped) and she pulled ahead. At that point I was pretty much running alone, which was fine by me. For the most part, if I don't stop, I'm happy with my race.

The race was really uneventful. At two miles I was feeling ok, the wind still taking its toll on me. As we completed the half mile, someone asked how much further. I said ".6 miles" (thanks iPhone GPS). Then there was this little girl, probably 8, who doing great running, but then stopped to walk, as I passed her I tried to give an encouraging "less than half a mile to go". I think thats the most I've ever said to other racers. We're down to .3 miles left, I tell another woman who asks how much further. What a nice guy. At .2 miles, I start to kick it into high gear. On my death bed, I'll still have enough energy to push through .2 miles. Its nothing. So I pumping my stubby little legs like my life depended on it, pulling away from the ladies that I just told the distance. Still holding out hopes for that PR! Funny thing though. I hit the 3.1 mile mark, and I was no where near the school that we started at. 3.2 miles. Still no school. 3.3 miles. WTF! 3.4 miles. Someone needs to die. At this point, all the extra energy I had was out the window and I'm beyond winded. Finally cross the finish line at 3.46 miles.

The extra distance wasn't a big deal, it was the extra push toward the finish that wasn't where it was suppose to be that killed me. My finish line photo makes me look like a monster that ran .36 miles more than he expected to run.

It was a fun race and I look forward to next years.

3.46 Miles 36:10. A 10:27 pace, not bad for me.

8 Miles and Half Marathon

I've increased my mileage to 8 miles. And oh yeah, signed up for a half marathon. Manchester Marathon /Half Marathon. My cousin Denise suggested it, because she's walking it, and suggested I do it as well. After thinking about it for 10 min, I was in.

8 miles. 13 miles. Close enough. I feel like I'm cramming for a test I didn't prepare for. Going to get at least a 10 mile session in this Saturday and see how my body handles that. I will have a week to take it easy before the big day.

I am VERY excited.

Biggest concern. My lower back and nutrition during the race.

Time prediction.....3:20. <-- lots of walking after the 10K mark.

7 Miles

On October 12, 2010 I ran 7.0 miles. I ran very slow, because thats how I run, but I did it non stop. When I started running in April, I never thought I would be able to run a couple miles continuously, never mind 7! Still stuck at my weight (due to my own poor eating decisions), but I'm really excited about the possibilities. Now as I look in the future for races, I'm not restricted just to 5k races. Now I'm looking for 10Ks! 6.2 miles. Easy-peasy!

Erica's Run To Strikeback Against Cancer 5K

My 5th race of the year was pretty uneventful. It was in Merrimack NH on a beautiful September morning. It was a race of about 250 people, a good majority of them were just walkers as this was a charity event. I love walkers. Anyways. The course was a flat loop. 3 times around. It was my first loop course and I didn't think I would like it, but it really didn't matter. Although being lapped wasn't a highlight. But I showed some of those walkers who the boss was by lapping them.

Race Results

Good Things: I didn't stop, but the weird thing is I was about 100 yrds from the finish line and I almost stopped. It was like a little battle was going on between my head and my legs. Head won, but legs were pissed.

Personal record. Only by about 30 seconds.

Bad things: Only knocked 30 seconds off my personal best. I run better than that now a days. At least I should.

I was tired! I think my big mistake was not taking a rest day before the race. The day before I did a 5.1 mile run (at a blistering 10:19 pace I might add) that really wore me out. I didn't think it would matter, but it was clear it did.

Still 215, but 5 miles instead of 4.

So I'm really stuck at this 215 weight. I've seen it dip down, but 215 is just where my body wants to sit for a while. Hopefully I'll break through the barrier at some point. I've added weight lifting to my routine two days a week so maybe that will help.

The more exciting thing is that Sunday I hit the 5 mile mark running. 5.07 miles in 1 hour and 2 minutes of continuous running. I was running and felt pretty good, so decided to go for 4.5. Then at 4.5, decided to go for the big FIVE-O.

I feel pretty good, took the next day for total rest just so I wouldn't push it (did 12 miles total this weekend (Fri, Sat and Sun).

A 5K in Merrimack on Saturday. Hopefully I can improve my times a little bit. Excited to try.

Wild Rover 1/2 Way to St Patricks Day 5K

I didn't stop. One of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I wanted to stop. At one point I couldn't even take a deep breath because I tweaked a muscle in my back/shoulders that was cramping or something. I remember running down Chestnut St not being able to take a breath, an issue that would have been debilitating even if I was walking. I kept pushing one step at a time (cliche, I know). The weird thing is I don't remember when it stopped, but as my legs kept going, my issue simply went away.

So as I mentioned my goal was not to stop, and didn't really care about time as long as I kept moving. The race took us up Elm St, which is a pretty big hill. I was mildly proud of myself as I ran up the hill, and people all around me had to stop and walk. This is what I've been doing in my runs around the house, hills (not a fan). It was nice to see work I've been doing paying off.

Once I crossed Webster St., which I guess was about a mile away from the finsh, I was very confident I was going to go the distance. I was looking for a 'rabbit', someone I could follow to pace myself. The problem was everyone I started following, either slowed their pace or ended up walking. I wasn't used to the situation of passing people. I was always the pass-ee. So that was another plus.

I finished up the race with a 33:52. More than 4 minutes better than my last race roughly two weeks prior, so that was another positive of the race. Then, after I was huffing and puffing from just coming across the finish line, a lady came up to me and thanked me for pacing her the entire race. ME! I paced someone!

Anyways, a very fun race. Its fun to see that I'm improving as a runner.

The pictures are pretty random, just me taking them of the crowd (finish line and the starting line). I didn't know anyone and no one knew me.

215 and 4 Miles

I have another 5K coming up on Sunday. I'm not sure I'll do any better at the 5K, but my running has got a little stronger. Over the long weekend I managed 3.88 (fri) 4.08 (sun) and 4.01 (mon) mile runs. First runs ever over 4 miles. On Monday my run was extra enjoyable because I went to the dam / state park by our house and did my first trail run (3 miles of it was trail). It was cold, peaceful and relaxing. I want to make a habit of doing that run when I don't have a race on a particular weekend. I turned around at the 2 mile mark because I didn't want to push past the 4 mile mark round trip, so I still have a little more trail to explore.

Here is the exercise activity summary for the run (with pics embedded, pretty neat):

Mondays run through Clough State Park

Also the weight is slowly going down again. I weighed this morning (not after a hard sweaty workout like I like to do, hey it makes me feel good) and I was exactly 215. 40lbs down. 15 to go before the New Year. Not sure why I'm picking 200lbs by Jan 1st, but it seems like a good round number (no pun intended), and I have 3 months to lose 15 lbs. Very doable.

4 more races for the rest of the year. Would have more but Oct is a busy month for us. Hopefully I can find some in November.

Loco Moose 5K Concord NH 2010

Things went... well. My time was 35:15, which is a 11:23 pace. Over 3 minutes faster than my last 5K about two weeks ago. I'm pleased, but not really happy. Still there was too much walking. The first mile I did in a little over 10 minutes, so again out of the shute too fast. My exercise program spoke into my ear and said "Your average speed is 6mph" and at that point I knew I was in trouble. I have very limited reserves and using them to push that pace on the first mile spells doom for the next two. I think I had to start walking at the 1.3 mile mark, I was so pissed at myself. For all the exercise I do, I should be able to run longer than I do. So I did my normal walk / run thing.

I would have come in a few seconds faster but I felt stupid / rude zooming past this little 16 year old girl at the last few seconds, so I just let her keep her lead. Despite my not being able to run long distances, I have a good finishing 200 meter speed. I just don't like to use it for evil.

Here are the results:

Loco Moose 5K Concord NH 2010

It was a good event. I won a raffle. Grabbed the book that was on the prize table, should have grabbed one of the mugs.

Sad things from the results:

I'm the last Male to finsh the race.

I'm the last in my age group by far (next closest guy was 5 minutes ahead of me)

Next 5K in another two weeks. I don't foresee another 3 minute improvement. I'll shoot for 1.

EDIT: I think the race was mis-measured. My GPS on my phone measures everything pretty accurately, and it measured 2.98 miles. My GPS hit the 1 mile mark and 2 mile mark right on the button with what they measured. And when I think back to the race instructions, I thought we were suppose to go on the far side of a building instead of where we went. So my "PR" of 35:15 was pretty much BS. I was in back (big red guy in the picture) so I was just a lemming following the pack.

Race Day!!

For a tiny little 5K that no one really cares if I'm there or not, I do get myself worked up quite a bit over these things. Last night I woke up at 2am, not being able to fall back asleep. When I thought I did fall asleep, the next clock check revealed 2:20. It was a rough night. Eventually I managed to put togther some stretches of sleep that got me to 6am.

So my plan / goal:

36:00. There is NO reason I shouldn't be able to do this. This is a fast and flat course, although I think its a trail and I've never run on trails (since highschool at least). I need to go out of the gate slow, and do reverse splits (look I'm a runner, I used 'reverse splits' in a sentence!!! Hope I'm using it right). Current personal best is 38:31.

Also I'm trying to decide if I'm going to wear headphones or not. I never have on the road/ race and I don't really want to, but it may take my mind off some of the pain I'll be experiencing.

Just had breakfast, bowl of cherrios with blueberrys, and an english muffing. Will probably have a piece of pita bread with peanut butter before I leave.

OH boy!

COOLEST THING EVER!

Daves Morning Workout

I want to go on another run to use this again! Did my local 5k this morning. Slow, but pretty steady. Only stopped twice very briefly because I was getting sick to my stomach (just like highschool).