Short Weather, Warm Run

We ran in the park again today, so delighted to be outdoors in almost 80 degree weather.  We were a bit short of time, so the distance was only 3.53 miles.  I ran my 40/20 run
/walk and finished in 35:22, for a pace of 10:02.  No pains or problems.

Ask Your Doctor If Getting Off Your Ass Is Good For You

Saturday, April 27, 2013:

That was on the back of a young woman’s shirt in the Get In Gear 10k race today, and she was enjoying a lot of positive comment about it from other runners.  I told her that I would make it my blog headline today.

The Get In Gear 10k is a rite of spring in Minnesota, with 3421 finishers today along with another 3034 in the half marathon and the 5k.  It attracts the best of the best runners, along with lots of the rest of us.  I finished in 1:00:56 for a pace of 9:50, good for 9th of 22 in my 70-74 age group (I am 72). The age-group place is OK but not great.  More important to me, though, I finished more than a minute faster than I did in the Victory 10 last September, on a much more difficult course.  Improvement is the goal.

The on-line statistics for this race are somewhat better than those of any race that I have been in before.  It was electronically timed, of course, and had detection mats at the start, the four-mile point, and the finish.  The results tell me that I ran a pace of 9:59 up to the 4-mile point, and 9:31 from there to the finish.  Further, it tells me that in the first four miles I passed 461 people and was passed by 378, but in the last 2.2 miles I passed 182 and was passed by 36.

Together, these figures suggest that I didn't run fast enough in the first part of the race.  Indeed, I was able to run the last half mile or so with no walking at all, and with even a bit of a sprint in the last 0.2.  If I had run fast enough earlier, I would not have been able to do that, but might have finished sooner.  By contrast, though, my breathing seemed rather fast today, one breath per three footfalls most times that I thought about it.  This means that it was a race pace, although apparently not quite a maximum effort.

Whining: None.  One guy jumped too close in front of me, inviting me to run right up his calves, but I managed to dodge him.  Otherwise it was a wonderful experience, with perfect weather and a very well-organized race.  My girls did fine too.

Splits: 10:07, 9:32, 9:59, 10:15, 9:34, 10:30, 0:59 (0.2 mi), total 1:00:56, pace 9:50 overall.

Thursday, April 25:

Thirty minutes on the paved trails in the park.  How nice to be outdoors again.

Wednesday, April 24:

Three miles in the Woodbury YMCA.  I’ve lost track of the total time, but I recall that the final mile took 8:50.  No pains or problems.

Final Snow!

What an April we've had.  In Duluth, just 120 miles north of us, the snow that has fallen so far this April not only exceeds the snowfall of any previous April, but also exceeds the snowfall of any previous month since records have been kept.  It's a record record.  We've had a lot here too.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013:

After the snowblowing

This morning's snow was really quite beautiful, and I'm sure that I have never appreciated that beauty more than I did today as I was blowing and shoveling it off of our driveways and walks.  Every branch of every tree was concealed in white, glistening in the bright sun, an April fairyland.  I did enjoy it, and we got photos, but I do hope that we're done with the snow now.  According to the forecasts, there is a very good change that the snowblower will now be able to relax until fall.

Monday, April 22:


I ran four miles on the track at the Woodbury YMCA in 37:11, for an average pace of 9:18 and a final mile of 8:48.  No pains, no problems.  Looking forward to the Get in Gear 10k.

Splits:  9:49, 9:17, 9:16, 8:48, total 37:11

Nine Miles

This was the longest run since the marathon a month ago, ninety minutes.  I forgot my watch, but according to the old clock on the wall I was running about ten-minute miles, likely a tad faster, doing my usual run/walk ratio of 60/20.

Breakfast on the road
a month ago

This was an experiment of sorts.  In the past I've tried to avoid running long or hard after a meal, because otherwise after the run I will get an upset stomach and can’t eat. I don’t eat anything at all for many hours (overnight) before a marathon. Today I had a full breakfast (small Denver omelet, oatmeal, yogurt, walnuts, and several fruits & berries) about three hours before the run.  My stomach is slightly upset, but it hasn't kept me from eating.  No indeed.

Result of test: Three hours after eating is barely enough for a longish run at this 10-minute pace.  It might be OK for a marathon, because the pace is slower, but if I try that, I should probably eat a smaller breakfast.

Whining: None.  No problems.  It's a masterpiece.

Make It Stop!

Thursday April 18, 2013:

I like winter, and I like snow, but enough is enough.  Today we got more snow and 32 degrees all day, compared with an average of 59 for this date.  I’m getting grumpy about it.

Today’s run was six miles in the Woodbury YMCA.  I felt a little tired throughout, probably still recovering from a long one-day trip to Washington DC on Tuesday.

April 19, 2013, 7:00 am

No pains or problems today.

Splits: 9:42, 9:33, 9:33, 18:37 (2 mi), 9:44, total 57:09, pace 9:32.

Monday, April 15:

Woodbury YMCA again, three miles again.  I did not record the splits this time either, but I know that the last mile was easily sub-nine.

Saturday, April 13:

Woodbury YMCA, three miles.  I did not record the splits or the total time, but I do recall that the last mile was sub-nine.  Barely.

We're Fine

We didn't go to Boston this year, and we three are all fine.  In fact, yesterday we were in Duluth at a big celebration of my dad's 100th birthday.

Woodbury YMCA 6 Miles.

Dinner

This is the longest run since our last marathon, and not even an hour at that.  Six miles in 56:22, for a pace of 9:24.  We have the Get in Gear 10k race coming up, so this is a good preview and good training.  According to the splits I can obviously go faster, because every mile was as fast as or faster than the one before it.  Of course there is a difference between an oval (actually square) track and real roads with hills and potholes, but nevertheless I’m hoping to improve on my time in the Victory 10k last summer.  We’ll see.

No whining today.  I feel great!

Splits:  9:37, 9:28, 9:24, 9:24, 9:20, 9:07, total 56:22.