Sunrise run
By Kevin | August 29, 2011
Got myself out the door for an early morning run today. It was nice to be out under the stars before sunrise, the cool and quiet Colorado morning and trail all to myself. It was a quick jaunt, but turned into a good-quality tempo run:
5:30am, 65-degrees
3.0 miles in 30:48
10:16/mi avg.
Mile 1 = 11:00
Mile 2 = 10:24
Mile 3 = 9:24
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Back into double-digits
By Kevin | August 27, 2011
It’s been a while…a long while…but I’m back into double digit long-runs. The last run of double-digit miles I completed was probably the New Jersey Marathon in May of 2009! Today’s run was a relaxed 10-miler, with a conservative pace of 11:30/mi (including 60-sec walk-breaks at each mile).
With some known hills coming up in the NYC Marathon, my route included several long hills. In all, it was a good training run, except for my pre-run routine. I didn’t get the early start I wanted to, so I bolted out the door with an empty stomach and no water to bring. By mile 8, I was feeling the bonk, but was able to maintain my pace.
It had also gotten pretty warm, and I was definitely fighting some cotton-mouth. It’s a mistake I haven’t made for a while, and a good reminder to stick with the things that work for me!
Training entry:
7:30am, 70-degrees (85 at finish)
10mi. in 1:55*
Fastest mile was mile 5 in 10:02 (with 60sec walk-break included).
*Overall time included a 10min stop to chat with a neighbor who was out on her bike.
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Cross-training conflicts
By Kevin | August 25, 2011
It has been said that the hardest advice to follow is your own. How true it is for me these days! My training consistency is weak lately, yet I have been known to evangelize the value of training consistency in my advice to others. Recently, the choices I’ve been making about cross-training activities have not been “runner-friendly”.
The “experts” say the best cross-training activities for runners are biking, swimming, elliptical, or other similar repetitive, non-pounding, non-sideways-cutting, non-collision activities. In other words, NOT soccer.
Alas, I’m not only playing soccer on a competitive adult team, but now I’m also helping to coach my son’s U7 team. Any of the players I coached at Baldwin-Wallace College in the mid-90s will tell you that I’m not the kind of coach who stays on the sidelines. Add to that the fact that my games are on Sunday mornings, when I should be doing my long runs!
So, my advice to myself? Time to bow out from Sunday-morning soccer, stick with the long-runs, get the consistency back, and recognize that there are now less than 12-weeks to go until the NYC marathon…and my longest run has only been 8-miles! Commitment, consistency, choices…c’mon!
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Best run of the week
By Kevin | August 20, 2011
This week’s best run was a quick, after-work, trail jaunt on Wednesday with my friend and supervisor. It was much hotter than we realized, and we both were apparently more stressed than we knew, judging by our unplanned gusto with our pace. We took a new route from work, and landed on a great trail through some farmland with some open views. Good intensity, good work de-brief, good run!
4.3 miles in 40 minutes
~9:20/mi avg. pace
Includes 30-sec walk breaks at each mile.
Fastest mile was mile 3 at 9:06 (with 30-sec walk).
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Sunset flow
By Kevin | August 7, 2011
Had an awesome run tonight! Since I didn’t get my butt out the door this morning before the day got hot, I ended up heading out at 8pm, after a nice birthday celebration dinner at our neighbor’s house. Maybe it was the cupcake dessert, or the pulled pork BBQ…I don’t know. But it was an effortless run full of joy!
When I headed out, the sun was just setting over the mountains, and the air was cooling off nicely. I quickly made it out of our neighborhood and had my feet on the trail at mile one. I was struck by how quiet it was, and I was enjoying the golden hour of magic light just after sunset.
My belly felt a bit full still, but not uncomfortable, as I headed past the first farm and their horses. It was starting to get dark quickly, but it wasn’t difficult to see. The moon was already up, and it was brightly casting shadows. As I rounded the first of two lakes (reservoirs, really), I was almost startled by how quiet it was. A formation of geese glided over me, not far above, and they drifted slowly onto the mirror-lake next to me. The sound of their water-landing was the loudest sound I heard for several miles. That was when I noticed that my feet were landing lightly and quietly. I was in a good groove and didn’t know it!
The run continued in the dark, but with bright moon and stars, and the sounds of coyotes making me a little uneasy at times, but they were beautiful to hear. I was totally in the zone, tuned in deeply to everything. I was seeing bats, frogs, a huge owl watching me from a nearby branch, and hearing every little twig and grass shuffle off the side of the trail as critters took cover.
What a great way to start the week!
Run data:
8pm, 85-degrees (73 at finish)
8-miles in 1:26
10:47/mi avg
Fastest mile was mile 8 in 10:05
Felt light, easy, and relaxed, like I could just keep on going. Haven’t felt like that on a run in quite a while! Had an apple w/peanut-butter, a banana, and lots of water upon my return.
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Waukesha running
By Kevin | July 8, 2011
Well good morning, Waukesha! Visiting our friends, the Weavers, I enjoyed the altitude benefit on our first day out of Colorado, and cruised through a relaxed 7-miler this morning. It was a nice and cool morning, and wasn’t as buggy as I had anticipated. Their neighborhood offered up some significant, but gradual, hills. It also was a very green and shady run. Here’s the training journal info:
5:45am – RHR 62
7.08 miles in 1:15 for a 10:40/mi. avg.
No breakfast, glass of water right before. Slow and easy start (walked several minutes) and used Galloway walk-breaks at each mile for about 60-90 seconds. Felt a bit clunky to start, but found rhythm after 3-miles and settled in. Shortened and quickened strides on uphills, stretched out a bit on downhills. Cool down walk for about 10-minutes. Banana and water upon return. Breakfast within 45-minutes after.
Lap info:
1- 12:32
2- 10:43
3- 10:29
4- 10:30
5- 10:07
6- 9:53
7- 10:09
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Zermatt marathon?
By Kevin | April 10, 2011
Back from an outstanding, yet quick, Spring Break trip to Zermatt, Switzerland with my two younger brothers. We had a great time skiing, eating, and hanging out.
Walking through Zermatt, my runner’s-radar was picking up some vibes: epic trail runs, old-town street runs with no gas-powered cars allowed, stunning views, friendly and enthusiastic locals…
…seems like this would be a great place for…and there it was. It emerged around a corner, proudly hanging across one of the main alleyways. A simple banner announcing the Zermatt Marathon.
I know, I know…I still have 41 states to go on my 50 states challenge. I shouldn’t be getting ahead of myself right? Although, marathons on every continent would be a nice follow-up, no?
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NYC bound!
By Kevin | February 4, 2011
It’s official! After my first attempt 4 years ago, I’m officially accepted into the New York City marathon this November! I’ve been denied a spot in the lottery 3-times prior, so this was my guaranteed entry year!
Now, my last marathon was in May 2009, and I haven’t run at all since August 2010. So, I’ve got some real work to do in order to prepare. I’ve always thought that I wanted a new PR in NYC, regardless of my current PR. I’ve got the calendar-time to put in the work. I’ve got the experience of 9 previous marathons, and the training journals to review. Most importantly, I’ve got the support of my family and friends. So, tonight, I’ll spend time creating an initial draft of my new training calendar.
Sunday morning, I’m out the door to break the ice, and run whatever feels right. My success will be just to get out the door, and start re-building the solid training habits I had before.
NYC, here I come!
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Torn quadricep update
By Kevin | October 21, 2010
Been nursing a torn quad for quite a while now. It seems like this won’t go away. I finally went to the doc, and will begin physical therapy. However, the advice is still the same old “let pain be your guide”. I first pulled it playing soccer back in August. I gave it about 3 weeks off, tested it slowly, then played some gentle soccer in week 4. The next week, again, it felt good, and I played a normal first half without giving it much thought. A drool-worthy thru-ball sent me on a sprint just a few minutes into the 2nd half, and WHAM! What was a mild pull was now a significant tear.
That was in September. It has been about 5 weeks, and I tested it again with a “gentle” game of indoor soccer in a new adult recreational league with co-workers. I resisted any urge to sprint, make quick cuts, or try to rocket a shot off with my left leg. I had it wrapped up for support, and I warmed up well. As a conservative “test”, it went well, though I was sore the next day, likely from favoring that leg subconsciously.
I’ll give it another go this weekend with our second game and see how it goes! Physical therapy will have to wait until I can create some space in my work schedule.
Can’t believe I just wrote that. What happened to my mantra of “health first, work later”? Time to recalibrate the priorities.
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Back to School, Where’d Summer Go?
By Kevin | August 30, 2010
Hard to believe it’s been so long since my last post here. My first “summer off” since starting my new job has been a blur. However, it’s been a marvelous, rewarding, and full summer blur. Unfortunately, it wasn’t full of much running. I’ve been sporadic at best, with a pattern of several days off punctuated by some really great runs, and followed up by weeks of non-running, before wrestling myself back into it. Thoughts of a marathon this October or November seem a bit more risky now, especially as I sit here with a huge bag of ice on my left quad thanks to a soccer injury.
Soccer has been fun lately, as I’ve joined an adult league team in Boulder as a free-agent. Those of you who know me might be surprised to hear that I’m not playing keeper, but an attacking midfield role instead. I see it as a return to my soccer roots, since I didn’t play goalkeeper until late in high-school and then into college. It has been fun to bring my understanding and love of the game back onto the field, and to learn that I’m still able to contribute and be creative. Still, being out of “soccer-shape” means that my vision and my brain are not exactly being backed up with real-life execution on the field. My first touch on the ball has been downright embarrassing, although I’ve compensated fairly well with a couple of goals and assists sprinkled across our first three games.
It’s funny…playing soccer again definitely makes me want to regain my soccer-ability…but it makes me want to get back into running consistently again even more. So…we’ll see where that takes me, but now I’ve put it out there for all to hear: the goal is to get out the door at least a couple times a week throughout September, with some short and mid-distance (5-10 mile) runs, and then see where that puts me.
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