Another Sunday in Rehoboth = another race.
Yesterday was the annual Masser 5-Miler, one of the more popular races in the Seashore Striders series because in order to complete the series, you have to run one of the two 5-mile races (in addition to running a number of their 5k's). Since the other 5-miler is always the last weekend in July - one of the hottest of the year - a lot of people do the Masser.
I felt ok before the race, although it seemed like the air was a little heavy. When everyone lined up to start I placed myself in the middle of the pack which was a mistake. When the gun went off I spent the first 1/8 of a mile or so trying to get around runners in front of me. I finally got free and settled into a pace, which was - as usual - too fast. My first mile was 6:35. I would have loved to keep that pace for the entire race, but my legs just wouldn't go. I kept it steady and finished in 34 minutes, 30 seconds - good enough for 33rd place overall (our of 224 runners) and 10th in my age group. And for the second week in a row, I achieved a personal best - beating my 5-miler time from last year by nearly 3 minutes.
Now the training push continues for Eagleman on June 14. No races between now and then, so all of my energy will be focused on that.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sometimes Stupidity Pays Off
Today was the running of the Delaware Half-Marathon, and I was all set to compete in it until last Thursday. That's when I realized that I hadn't registered for it. I looked online and saw that the race was full and registration was closed. Ugh!
I figured I could just go out and run 13 miles at race pace, but after talking with my coach, I decided to run a 5k race, with a 1-mile warm up and 3-mile cool down as my Sunday workout.
So this morning, in a steady drizzle, I joined about 100 other runners and walkers in the first Diamondback Dash to help raise money and awareness to help protect the Diamondback Terrapin, which lives in the area and around this time of year tries to cross the very busy Route 1 to lay eggs.
I positioned myself right at the front for the start and after about the first quarter mile, I was surprised to find myself in 3rd place. I went out a little too fast on the first mile (6 minutes, 19 seconds) and as I slowed down a bit, a couple other runners caught me. I held my place through the rest of the race, covering each of the 2nd and 3rd miles in 6 minutes, 40 seconds. I poured it on at the end and finished with a time of 20:12 - 6th place overall and 3rd in my age group.
This is the first time I've placed in the top 3 in my age group and is a personal best time for me for a 5k (at least since high school, but who remembers back that far?).
My coach noted in my training program that the next 12 days are going to be very tough and I need to get all the sleep I can get. I think I'll start now with a well-earned nap.
I figured I could just go out and run 13 miles at race pace, but after talking with my coach, I decided to run a 5k race, with a 1-mile warm up and 3-mile cool down as my Sunday workout.
So this morning, in a steady drizzle, I joined about 100 other runners and walkers in the first Diamondback Dash to help raise money and awareness to help protect the Diamondback Terrapin, which lives in the area and around this time of year tries to cross the very busy Route 1 to lay eggs.
I positioned myself right at the front for the start and after about the first quarter mile, I was surprised to find myself in 3rd place. I went out a little too fast on the first mile (6 minutes, 19 seconds) and as I slowed down a bit, a couple other runners caught me. I held my place through the rest of the race, covering each of the 2nd and 3rd miles in 6 minutes, 40 seconds. I poured it on at the end and finished with a time of 20:12 - 6th place overall and 3rd in my age group.
This is the first time I've placed in the top 3 in my age group and is a personal best time for me for a 5k (at least since high school, but who remembers back that far?).
My coach noted in my training program that the next 12 days are going to be very tough and I need to get all the sleep I can get. I think I'll start now with a well-earned nap.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Pool Time
I got in the pool twice so far this week...which is more than any week of the past month or so.
My coach had been wanting to do another session with me in the pool, so we scheduled it for this afternoon. I got in for 30 minutes or so yesterday just to make sure I wouldn't completely embarrass myself today.
Much to my surprise, my form has improved since our last session two months ago. How'd that happen? Honestly, I don't think I've been in the water enough to make any improvements, but it felt better and Kevin said it looked better too.
He gave me more drills to do and stressed the importance of hitting the pool as often as possible, stetching, and reducing tension in my shoulders and my neck. Guess it's time to start getting regular massages again. Yipee!
So I'll be in the pool again tomorrow, along with doing a 90-minute bike ride and teaching a cardio/core circuit class at the Y. Looks like it'll be another full day!
My coach had been wanting to do another session with me in the pool, so we scheduled it for this afternoon. I got in for 30 minutes or so yesterday just to make sure I wouldn't completely embarrass myself today.
Much to my surprise, my form has improved since our last session two months ago. How'd that happen? Honestly, I don't think I've been in the water enough to make any improvements, but it felt better and Kevin said it looked better too.
He gave me more drills to do and stressed the importance of hitting the pool as often as possible, stetching, and reducing tension in my shoulders and my neck. Guess it's time to start getting regular massages again. Yipee!
So I'll be in the pool again tomorrow, along with doing a 90-minute bike ride and teaching a cardio/core circuit class at the Y. Looks like it'll be another full day!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Chugging Along
Once again, I've let a couple weeks go by without a post.
Last week I was in Orlando for a YMCA conference. The conference was great, but the lap pool at the hotel was always crowded and the temperatures were in the mid 90's so it was difficult to get any kind of training in.
Sunday I went for a 3 1/2-hour bike ride (60 miles) followed by a 40-minute run (only got in about 4 miles). I did a simple out-and-back for the ride. I had a headwind on the first 30 miles so I only averaged about 15.4 mph. On the way back, I averaged over 20 mph. It felt really good, although I had to take a nap afterwards.
Tonight, being Wednesday, was another speed work night. The workout was 8 half-mile repeats, with 2 minutes recovery between each. The idea is do the first one at a moderate pace and decrease the time on each one, with the last one being the fastest. I did well, and my 6th was actually my fastest - 2 minutes, 54 seconds.
My left calf has been a little tight, even with lots of stretching, but we'll just see how that goes.
Last week I was in Orlando for a YMCA conference. The conference was great, but the lap pool at the hotel was always crowded and the temperatures were in the mid 90's so it was difficult to get any kind of training in.
Sunday I went for a 3 1/2-hour bike ride (60 miles) followed by a 40-minute run (only got in about 4 miles). I did a simple out-and-back for the ride. I had a headwind on the first 30 miles so I only averaged about 15.4 mph. On the way back, I averaged over 20 mph. It felt really good, although I had to take a nap afterwards.
Tonight, being Wednesday, was another speed work night. The workout was 8 half-mile repeats, with 2 minutes recovery between each. The idea is do the first one at a moderate pace and decrease the time on each one, with the last one being the fastest. I did well, and my 6th was actually my fastest - 2 minutes, 54 seconds.
My left calf has been a little tight, even with lots of stretching, but we'll just see how that goes.
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