Tag Archives: running

Natural Order Restored

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You may recall that in October my 16 year-old daughter shattered my 500 yard free time (6:21 versus 6:28). Last weekend, at the Third Annual Rudolph’s Plunge, I attempted to reclaim the title that is so integral to my identity: family’s fastest distance freestyler.

Uppity daughter couldn’t fathom that possibility so she finagled an invitation to a Seattle concert. Fortunately the other two members of my posse were among the thousands (or tens) packed into the Water Cube (or Briggs YMCA) as I stood on the block.

I am not a talented athlete by any stretch of the imagination, however, I have developed a reservoir of endurance as a result of consistent training over the last 15 years. Another asset is an intuitive feel for even pacing. Case in point, the Seattle Half Marathon. The marathon website provides three pages of stats for each runner based on their timing chip. One graphic said that from mile 6.2 to 13.1 I passed 233 people and 6 passed me. I ran 7:20’s for the first half of the race and 7 flats for the second, hillier section. The art of the slow build.

Oddly, my Rudolph’s Plunge 500 may have been the worst paced race in my life. I don’t know why, but I went out WAY too fast. Long story short, I faded big time over the second half, but still finished in 6:17.5. L said at one point the announcer said I was on a 6:02 pace. Opps. It’s no fun going into oxygen debt and then not being able to recover.

Reminds me of a Prefontaine quote, “The only good race pace is suicide pace and today looks like a good day to die.”

I thoroughly enjoyed posting a 6:17 sticky note on A’s mirror that night before retiring.

And at the end of a quiet circle in Northwest Indiana, my sister just shook her head in disgust.

Even though A was recently named co-captain of next year’s team, I suspect she’ll just quit the sport now that the natural order has been restored and the family record is out of reach.

Seattle Half Marathon Report

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At 7:20 a.m. on Sunday, November 30th D and I found ourselves in a serious traffic jam on the sidewalk in front of the Experience Music Project in downtown Seattle. D ran professionally for nine years beginning in the late 70’s. 2:11 marathon; 4th in the Olympic Trials; 4th in the Boston Marathon, first American. Blew his knee out skiing a decade ago and has built it back through cycling. Now that he’s able to run 25/30 pain free miles a week, he thought he’d give the half a go.

I take responsibility for screwing up pre-race. We should have approached the start from the back instead of the front. Long story short, after hoping a few barricades, it took us 54 seconds to get to the start and then we had to slowly weave our way down 5th street. In a way it was kinda funny, D has gone from Wide World of Sports to mixin’ it up with the masses and the 1:45 Half Marathon pacer.

D ran a 1:26:36 which translates to a 1:25:42  and I ran a 1:34:42 or 1:33:48. I didn’t realize D and I were in the same age group until after the race or I would have taken him. I could have easily tripped him from behind on 5th street. I’m used to D dropping me on the bike. Now I have to get used to him running away from me. Some summer day at the lake I’ll be getting T ready for an Ironperson. D will be kickin’ it on a raft and I’ll say let’s go running and cycling boy. And then T and I will swim farther and farther away from him, and then we’ll accelerate, and maybe, just maybe, he’ll have a little more compassion for us mortals, bah, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Knowing beforehand that I’d lose touch with D from the get go, I threw together a “13.1” playlist and iPoded the run for the first time ever. So being a good academic, I should credit all the people who helped me along the way:

• Mile 1, Janet Jackson, That’s the Way Love Goes, “My love is blind can’t you see my desire.” Oh yes Janet, I can see it.

• Mile 2, Jill Scott, Golden, “I’m livin’ my life like it’s golden golden.” Easy for you to say, you’re not running up hill.

• Mile 3, America, Horse with No Name, “The heat was hot. . .” Love that phrase, I’m just not sure what the cold equivalent would be, the chill was cold?

• Mile 4, Elton John, Benny and the Jets, “Oh Benny, she’s really keen. She’s Got electric boots, a mohair suit. . . ” I always thought it was electric boobs. That’s kinda disappointing.

• Mile 5, I Feel For You, Chaka Khan, “Baby, baby, when I look at you I get a warm feeling inside.” I get that a lot.

• Mile 6, Bye Bye Love, The Cars, “You think you’re so illustrious, you call yourself intense.” If I wasn’t intense would I have just drenched my contacts with Gatorade?

• Mile 7, President, Wyclef Jean, “Instead of spending billions on the war, I could use it to feed the poor.” Preach it brother.

• Mile 8, No One, Alicia Keys, “You and me together through the days and nights, I don’t worry because everything is going to be alright.” Wowa Alicia, I think we should take things a little slower.

• Mile 9, I Wish, Skee-Lo, “I wish I was taller, I wish I was a baller, I wish I had girl who looked good, cuz I’d call her.” They just don’t write lyrics like that anymore.

• Mile 10, Serpentine Fire, Earth, Wind, and Fire. “I wanna see your face in the morning sun ignite my energy.” I get that a lot too. 

• Mile 11, Whole Lotta Love, Led Zeppelin, “You need coolin, baby, Im not foolin, Im gonna send you back to schoolin,” As an educator, I thought it was important to have at least one reference to school.

• Mile 12, Country Grammar, Nelly, “I’m goin down down baby yo’ street in a Range Rover, street sweeper baby, cocked ready to let it go, shimmy shimmy cocoa what? Listen to it pound, light it up and take a puff, pass it to me now.” Who knew Nelly smoked cigars? Thanks to L for meeting me at mile 12 and handing me the stogie.

• Mile 13, Lose Yourself, Eminem, “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo.” Enuf said.

Swim-Bike-Run

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The past week at a glance. Every workout, except half of Saturday’s and all of Sunday’s, completed before sunrise.

Friday, running day, however, I felt like I returned to the regular running schedule a bit too quickly post marathon so I decided to swim instead. I was invited to join the Masters so I chased Geraldine for 75 minutes.  650 warm up. Main set 6×300, descend 1-3  and 4-6 on 5:00. Not sure of my splits, but Geraldine kept putting 20 yards into me. 50 easy then 3×200 on 3:20. Again, I wasn’t getting my splits. I like Mel’s rest intervals better than my own. Then a 4×100 pull set and a 100 cool down. Classic Mel, no strokes. Total, 3,600 yards, but I always record meters, so 3,330m.

Saturday, 10+ mile run in 1:19+. First time I felt normal post marathon. Lots of trails, Woodland, Watershed, LBA. Surprise, surprise, M and I got into a heated argument which always leads to a quicker pace. I don’t understand economics or taxes because I’ve never sat in a boardroom, yet he routinely criticizes public school teachers. Usually, I can manage the irritation, but about once a year, I completely snap. I’m good until 2009. I apologize for my language if you were anywhere near LBA park last Saturday morning.

Sunday, cold weather cycling experiment. 35 degrees, can I hang? I decide to give it a try, and if I can’t cut it, I’ll bail before joining the group at 4 miles. Craft base layer, medium weight base, expedition weight base, long sleeve jersey, arm warmers, long bottoms under long bibs, two pairs of socks, toe covers, two pairs of gloves, hat under helmet. I produced a large load of laundry, but proved the Norwegians right-there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. The suggested route called for an early climb and about 40 miles in total. Perfect, until we went straight when we were supposed to go left. Three, five, seven extra miles. . . times two. Are we ever going to head north again or are we taking the train back from Portland? 55 miles later, the mercury climbed to 46. The only thing I took off all morning were my arm warmers. Mission accomplished. 1,500′ of climbing at a relaxed 18+mph.

Monday, 6.16 mile run in 47+ for a 7:41/mile average.

Tuesday, solo swim. 1,000 yard warm up, every fourth alternate back then breast, 15:45. Kick 200; one arm drill 100; fingertip drag 100; 100 easy. 4×300 on 5:00 in 4:25, 19, 17, 3. 5x100IM on 1:55 in 1:36-1:37, last 1:33. 100 cool down. Total, 3,300 yards or 3,000m.

Wednesday, 6.75 mile run in 51:31 for a 7:38/mile average.

Thursday, solo swim. 1,000 yard warm up straight free, 14:45. Kick 200; one arm drill 100; fingertrip drag 100. 2×200 back then breast two times on 3:50, back in 3:27, 3:27; breast in 3:30, 3:30. 5×200 on 3:20 in 2:55, 51, 45, 38, 55. 100 cool down. Total, 3,300 yards or 3,000m.