We Moved Indoors

Sunday we renewed our membership at the North St Paul Community Center (NSPCC). It has a very nice upper-level indoor track, 13.5 laps per mile, clockwise on odd days and counter-clockwise on even days. It's not as nice as running outdoors, but better than a treadmill. Plus there is a treadmill if necessary, and lots of other training equipment.

Thursday, December 17:

NSPCC indoor track once more. Good run today, six miles at a pace faster than 9-minute miles, today the place was cool upstairs, as it should be. No red face, no lightheadedness. I wore the Burn shoes.

Splits: 9:22, 8:47, 8:38, 8:42, 8:54, 8:56, total 53:18, pace 8:53.

Tuesday, December 15:

North St Paul Community Center indoor track again. This time I forgot my watch, and the second hand on both clock is broken, so there was really no way to time the laps accurately. Golly, I had to just run and wonder how I was doing :-)

That should be easier, I suppose, relieved of the yoke of the 40-second lap, 9-minute mile. And it felt that way at first. I set the pace according to breathing, keeping it at four footfalls per breath most of the way. The outdoor temperature was minus two, so the heating system in that place was working overtime, apparently not yet adjusted correctly for winter. The track was 80 degrees or more at one end and 65 at the other, my estimate. I ran 55 minutes, which should be at least 6 miles. No walking.

A little light-headed and red-faced (sez Sunshine) afterward, I suppose that was due to the fluctuating temperature. I hope it wasn’t in some way due to the Brooks Launch shoes - I wore my old Burns on Sunday, without those symptoms afterward. Unlikely.

Sunday, December 13:

North St Paul Community Center indoor track, 13.5 laps per mile. This was a tempo run, just under a race pace. Breathing was easy for the first mile or two, then settled down to four footfalls per breath for most of the rest, going to three footfalls in the last mile or so. A hard run for me, but good training.

Splits: 9:18, 8:46, 8:34, 8:38, 8:31, 8:49, total 52:35, pace 8:46.

Saturday, December 12:

St Croix Valley Runners, about five degrees above zero. We ran Wayne’s Route, a figure-8 course that goes around Lake McKusick. Six of us this morning. I ended up running by myself between three faster and two slower guys. I didn’t start my watch at the beginning of the run, apparently, so I don’t have the exact time for the five miles, but it was about 40 minutes. Not good, but OK for winter running.

My feet got really cold, though, not quite numb but almost. I don’t recall that from previous years. Same shoes & sox that I wear in the summer, as I’ve always done in the winter before. I wonder if my feet will get used to the cold, or will I have to come up with cold-weather footwear?


Taco salad, mostly organic.  I had seconds.

I Love To Run In New Orleans

Tuesday, Dec 8, 2009:

New Orleans once more, the last day before boarding the train back to St Paul. I started toward the Convention center on the Riverwalk, turned around at the fence (what a shame that fence is there) and back toward the other end of the Riverwalk. About then I hooked up with another runner, Vasquez, who turned out to be from Ecuador on business. He asked me how far I was going, so I told him about 30 minutes more, and he asked if we could run together. Cool. We ran through the French Market, then further into the French Quarter, and finally, after getting lost once, back through Bourbon Street again. I love doing that. It’s the best way to cruise Bourbon Street.

He left me at Canal Street, and I ran another mile or so in the Neutral Ground (median) in Canal Street, then stopped at the beer store for a six-pack of local brew and walked to the hotel. About four miles in about 39 minutes. I gave Mr Vasquez my email address, but never heard from him.

Sunday, Dec 6, 2009:

The IMF, or someone with whom they work, wanted some photos of me running, so I spent most of an hour running little jogs toward the professional cameraman. From there I took off downriver on the Riverwalk, cruising around the eastern end of the very commercial end of the French Quarter, and finally back to the Windsor Court Hotel by way of Bourbon Street.

The Saints game was in full swing during this stretch, and I could hear either a cheer or a groan as I passed each bar on Bourbon Street. There are a lot of bars. I had thought that Bourbon Street was mainly populated by tourists, but clearly the bars were attended by New Orleans partisans on this Sunday afternoon.

About four miles in about 39 minutes. And hundreds of photos. I wonder if I’ll ever get to see some ...

Saturday, Dec 5, 2009:

Breakfast with the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) advocacy exhibit group, then off to run in New Orleans. The concierge advised me to run to St Charles Ave and run in the “neutral ground” between the outgoing and incoming trolley cars. I knew that was good advice, because I had run there on previous trips to New Orleans. I ran with A from the IMF, a young woman who could no doubt go much faster if she had trained as much as I had, but she hadn’t run at all in a couple of weeks and today we seemed pretty well matched. She stopped at 40 minutes, which I think was probably about 4 miles, and I continued for another 20 minutes, cruising through the RiverWalk and up Canal Street for another couple of miles. Nice run, I felt good.

Thanksgiving And Beyond

Wednesday, December 2, 2009:

This was a cool 28-degree afternoon run. Weather is changing, getting colder, more like it should be in Minnesota in early December. We three ran on the blacktop trails in the park, my sweeties running 3.6 miles while I did an extra loop to get in 5.8.

I wore tights, knee protectors, and three layers above including a wind jacket. The wind was so stiff, though, cutting right through the clothing, that I wondered for a while if I should shorten the run to avoid getting too cold. But after turning the corner to put the wind at my back I was warm enough, and ran the full two loops.

Brooks Burn shoes this time. I’m happy with the Brooks Launch replacements, so I don’t need to save my last pair of Burns. Use ’em up. 5.8 miles in 56:00, ten seconds slower than the last time I ran this route. Pace 9:39. It’s a masterpiece!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009:

What a nice afternoon run in the park, sun setting as we ran. Still, though the grass was dry, the earth underneath was a bit soggy. I wore the Nike LunarGlide shoes and brought them back with mud abd gravel in all of the tiny grooves in the tread. They don’t have to make shoe treads like that.

Enjoyable run anyway, though. 6.9 miles in 1:13:07, for a pace of 10:36, which will have to do. I felt good throughout, walking only occasionally on hills. No pains.

Sunday, November 29, 2009:

St Croix Valley Runners “long” Sunday run, eight miles which include the stairs from Main Street up to First Street. Gauss and I ran the whole way, and Luke joined us for five of the miles at the end of his much longer run. Cool morning, about freezing, I wore tights and knee protectors with three layers above.

We ran very slowly but didn’t walk much, though we did stop a couple of times. We also ran a slightly longer route than the usual measured eight-mile route, I think. We ran the route in 1:34:36. If it was eight miles, that’s a pace of 11:50. I hope it was longer :-) No pain, no problems. I’m liking the Brooks Launch shoes more every time I run in them.

Saturday, November 28, 2009:

St Croix Valley Runners again, this time the regular 5-mile route which takes us up and down Manning Avenue. I’m not a big fan of Manning, because it’s 55 mph and cars really go faster. The shoulders are wide, though, and the company is good.

I ran with Charlie this time, who would probably otherwise have taken a shorter route. We had a good conversation. 48 minutes again, or close, my watch rebooted itself again so I can’t be exact, durn it. Guess I need a new one. No pains, no strain.

Thursday, November 26, 2009:

Thanksgiving morning, the St Croix Valley Runners had a nice group out to do the standard 5-mile run. We tried Wayne’s route this time, and in fact we found a new trail, apparently just built this year, which shortens the route slightly, perhaps making it a little closer to 5 miles. I ran near the back with Mary, Candy, and Gauss. A head start toward Thanksgiving dinner!

No pains, no problems. About 48 minutes - pace of 9:36.

Runs in the Park

Tuesday, November 24, 2009:

Blacktop trails in the park again today, because of the crummy weather and wet grass. 3.6 miles in 33:58, for a pace of 9:26. Hmmm - seemed faster than that - I was pushing pretty hard - wonder if I should re-measure that route.

Oh well, it’s good enough. A half hour of pretty good exercise. No pains.

I wore the Brooks Launch shoes - they really are the shoes to which other shoes will have to measure up. My last pair of Brooks Burns are wearing out, but that’s OK, because these will do the same job.

Monday, November 23, 2009:

I love running in the park. This time I ran on the blacktop trails because the grass was wet from the rain. 5.8 miles in 55:50, for a pace of 9:38. Humph. Well I guess that’s good enough. I ran most of the way, walking only for a few hills. Pace was consistent, the first half taking 12 seconds longer than the second half. And I saw my sweeties several times.

Just a slight pain in the right knee. Not enough to worry about, but I do wonder if that knee will give me real trouble someday. Meantime, though, it’s a masterpiece.

Saturday, November 21, 2009:

St Croix Valley Runners, five miles in 52:06. Uffda. Not too speedy, but an enjoyable run nonetheless. We had at least 9 runners today, probably more. Paul, George, Gauss, Dave2, Candy, Wayne, Charley, Kent, myself, any more? Gauss and I brought up the rear, plugging along steadily.

We ran Wayne’s route today, taking us across a wooden bridge over a lake, and through some neighborhoods. It avoids the 55-mph roads entirely, and I like that.

Potroast
delight,
tonight's
dinner.

Catching Up on Blogging

Wednesday, Nov 18:

I worked on a computer problem ALL DAY Tuesday and didn’t get my Tuesday run in. But today I did get in a nice run after spending a couple of hours collecting leaves first. Grass trails in the park, no walking except up a few small hills when my breathing became too fast. Pace for the first 4.3 miles was 9:16, not bad for a hilly grass trail. I didn’t time the next 0.7 miles.

No problems with the knee that locked up Sunday. It’s a masterpiece!

Sunday, Nov 15:

St Croix Valley Runners Sunday run, this time 11.3 miles in 2:06:22, for a blazing-fast pace of 11:11. We had a good time though. Gauss, Steve, Tom, and myself. Steve and Tom really had to rein it back for Gauss and me, but they seemed to enjoy it anyway. From Gauss' house to Pine Point Park, the near end of the Gateway trail, then on the trail to Manning, to take a look at the bridge construction there, and back by a slightly different route. We didn't go all the way to the Mile 16 marker on Gateway, so maybe the distance should be 11.1 in stead of 11.3. Doesn't make much difference.

I did have one problem: Near the end of the run, running downhill in the last quarter mile, my right knee suddenly almost locked up. It was quite painful, and I stopped immediately. I tried to run again and it still hurt. But a couple of minute later it was OK and went from OK to "just fine." I don't know what that was. The pain was on the outside front corner of the knee, just at the bottom of the kneecap. Definitely not ITB, seemed like something got stuck in the meniscus. I was wearing the Brooks Launch shoes - the first problem I've had in those shoes, and of course I have no idea whether different shoes would have made a difference.

I had this same problem several years ago while running in the "bubble" in Stillwater. Back then I put it down to the many, many unbanked corners. This time the only strange thing I did was to run backward for a few seconds, perhaps five or ten minutes before this problem happened. I'll have to look back and see what I did when it happened before, because it went away for a long time.

Otherwise, it's a masterpiece!

Saturday, Nov 14:

St Croix Valley Runners, five miles, nice run. I finished with Gauss and Wayne at about 47 minutes, for a pace of about 9:24. Lots of people running this morning. Drizzle overnight, but this morning was just fine, about 50 degrees. I overdressed with an extra layer on top - just wasn’t paying attention. But we had an enjoyable run. Dave1 was there, did a short run. Hope he doesn’t re-injure his knee.

No pains, no problems. Longer run Sunday?

Wednesday, Nov 11:

Nice 4-mile recovery run on the grass trails of the park, watching the sun set in the 52-degree evening. I brought a flashlight, in case it got too dark, and did use it in the last few minutes. I couldn’t believe the number of cars in the parking lot tonight. People were walking their dogs, and just enjoying the evening, no doubt one of the last this fall. Time 37:33 for 3.9 miles, pace of 9:38, which is not bad for that hilly grass trail. I ran almost all of it, walking only up a few of the hills. I feel great!

Antipasto, mostly organic.

OBX Marathon, North Carolina Outer Banks

OBX Marathon, Kitty Hawk to Manteo, on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Very, very nice. State number 24, marathon number 40. No plans for any more marathons this year.

Good stuff about the OBX Marathon:

• Incredibly, most (meaning more than half) of the course is shaded, either in neighborhoods or on wooded trails or roads.
• There WERE spectators! And they were enthusiastic. I taught a few little kids how to high-five, or I could hear their parents teaching them after I had swished by with my hand out.
• There are some small, rolling hills on a road that goes through the woods, and there is a tall bridge, but otherwise it’s really quite flat.
• There is a REAL expo. Not a huge one, and some of the booths were selling real estate, but running gear was plentiful too.
• They started the race in corrals, honor system, two minutes apart, which worked fine. I like that, even with just 1800 runners. My corral started 10 minutes after the first one, but it was the right place for me.
• Transportation is an issue in point-to-point marathons, and they did it well. We parked at the finish and took a bus to the start, but you could do it the other way too.
• They had put out “Burma Shave” signs along the way, telling facts about the area (highest sand dune in the USA, first flight, whatever, even some bad jokes. If you don’t know what a Burma Shave sign is, your youth may be a minor hindrance in reading this blog :-)
• Example series of signs:
  • First successful flight
  • in motor driven heavier
  • than air machines by
  • Orville and Wilbur Wright
  • December 17, 1903
  • Kill Devil hills, just south of Kitty Hawk
• There is a lot of history here, including the first powered flight and Roanoke Island. It might be worth an extra day (or several) just enjoying the Outer Banks. The beaches are delicious - be sure to get a motel with access.
• The race goes right through the Wright Brothers Memorial.
• And it goes along the waterfront for some distance (unlike Kiawah Island, you can actually SEE the water!).
• There is a swashbuckling pirate theme to the whole marathon (arrrrgh!).
• Nice booty bag (expo bag), nice long-sleeve tech shirt.
• People were very nice to my sweeties, even though they were near the end of the race.

Other stuff:

• At least seven miles of the marathon are on a coned-off lane of US 158, a 50-mph 4-lane highway that goes the length of the island. There is quite a bit of traffic, and no shade.
• Officials at the expo were a little bit arrogant about the lack of a chip-check ("no need"), and the information person didn’t know anything at all.
• The start area featured the seemingly obligatory, meaningless, high-volume noise (music), which meant that most people didn’t move to the start corrals until the very last moment.
• The medical stations didn't have any salt, which is often the best remedy for cramps. Why don't marathons figure that out? Grump, grump.

But, the overall experience was wonderful. I would highly recommend this marathon, especially in comparison with the Kiawah Island Marathon. Bring your own salt packets.

My Race:

• No serious pains AT ALL, just the normal sore muscles that are supposed to come from a marathon. I'll be running again by Wednesday;
• This was my first marathon in the Brooks Launch shoes. They seem perfect for me, a midfoot-striker, just like the old Brooks Burn shoes. Other shoes will have to measure up to these;
• I ran two minutes and walked one, as in other recent races;
• That works best in a flat race like this one;
• I felt stronger toward the finish than in the middle. That’s new. I did use Clif Shot most of the way, then a Hammer Gel at Mile 21 - could that be it? I doubt it;
• I started two minutes behind the 5:00 hour pace team, then got a couple of minutes ahead of them, fell behind at a potty stop, passed them again, then watched them gradually fade into the distance ahead as I took photos.
• I finished in 5:05:00, about five minutes later than I had hoped. But who cares?
• I loved this marathon, had a great time, was grinning and high-fiving most of the way.

Reasons why I didn’t run this marathon in BQ (Boston-Qualifying) time:

• I can’t run 4:15 any more;
• This is the third marathon in five weeks;
• It did get a little warm today, 70 degrees in the finishing miles, and it felt even warmer with the sun beating down on the Hwy 158 pavement;
• I didn’t care if I ran any faster (oops, sounds like a motivation issue);
• I stopped dead still to take about 130 pictures with my new toy, a cell phone with a 2 MP camera. I think that may have had something to do with it. But I got all of the Burma Shave signs.

Splits: 20:50 (2 mi), 10:33, 53:03 (5 mi), 11:33, 26:28 (2 mi + potty stop), 10:40, 13:42, 21:54 (2 mi), 11:26, 1:00:39 (5 mi), 37:45 (3 mi), 13:35, 11:12, 1:38, total 5:05:00. Overall pace 11:38. It’s a masterpiece!

My Computer Crashed!

Thursday, Nov 5, 2009:

And so did my watch! I had a blog post almost ready, and then BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH! About a week ago now, accounting for some of the delay in posting. This has happened before on this laptop. There is a flaky connection between the motherboard and the hard disk, and eventually the hard disk gets corrupted and the boot files are overwritten with junk. Or so it seems. Repair doesn’t work - the only solution is to wipe the disk and do a complete reinstall of Windows XP. It’s a six-year-old laptop, crashed several times now, and I responded to this latest crash by ordering a new laptop. Ten times the disk, ten times the speed, twice the screen area, about the same price as six years ago. Meantime, this little old clunker is limping along again. I might try to keep it running, because it’s a lot smaller and lighter than the new one.

The watch crashed Tuesday. Tsk.

Today’s run was 3.3 miles in 33:11, pace 10:03. Some walking, but apparently mostly running, or the pace would have been slower. The watch worked OK today. I hope it keeps working - I don’t have time to get a new one right away. Brooks Summon shoes - gosh they felt clompy compared with the Launch shoes I’ve been wearing. Even compared with the Nike Lunarglides.

Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009:

My watch crashed! Not a good week for hardware. I finished a 4.2-mile run, pushed the button to record the finish time, and the watch went blank. Then it started up again, midnight, January 1. Darn. The time for this run isn’t important, but I just replaced the battery in this Timex watch and now it looks like I should probably have replaced the watch itself. It is six years old, almost seven. Probably time.

Before the crash, though, I clocked myself doing two of the loops at a 9:22 pace. I suppose the overall pace was in the vicinity of 9:30. Or so. I felt very good this morning. Except for the watch, it’s a masterpiece!

Sunday, Nov 1, 2009:

St Croix Valley runners, “standard” eight-mile Sunday run. We haven’t done this run in a long time, though, at least I haven’t. Cool at 7:00 am, 30 degrees or so, but great for running. Gauss, Candy, and I took it fairly easy and enjoyed the run. Time 1:31:49, pace about 11 ½ minutes/mile. It’s good.

Saturday, Oct 31, 2009:

BOO! St Croix Valley Runners, the usual five miles, but mostly in the dark. I was surprised how dark it was at the start, because I had run with these folks just two weeks before and it sure didn’t seem so dark then. But sunrise is racing forward about ten minutes per week these days. New guy Kent joined us again for the second time, and took off in front with Dave2, himself just back from a very successful 50-mile trail race. Then George and Paul, and finally Gauss and myself. We had a nice, easy run, finishing in 49:43, for a pace just under ten minutes per mile. Dave1 showed up after the run to let us know how his surgery went. He won’t be running for a while but seems cheerful..

Beautiful morning, enjoyable run.

Thursday, Oct 29, 2009:

North St Paul Community Center upstairs track, four miles running & one more walking. I felt a little pain in the bone just below the right kneecap, so I stopped running. No problem later - false alarm. But I was wearing the Nike Lunarglide shoes, and will stop wearing them for a while, after that maybe only on trails.

Splits: 9:06, 8:43, 8:58, 8:51, total 35:38, pace 8:55.