I'm still running

35 miles last week. Sunday I spent the evening with my buddy Michael and ran up past the Satsup cooling towers. Originally built to be part of a nuclear power plant that was never completed the massive cooling towers still are a landmark in the area. Had a nice run up the hill to the towers and back down. 7.5 miles. Tuesday was a nice 5 mile run around the park. Wednesday did the out and back with Brian. We have been running the heritage trail on Wednesday's. The trail has an out and back 10k marked along it. Its been great to have a running buddy too! 9 miles that day. Thursday I was pretty tired so I slept in, with the intention to run that afternoon, didn't happen. Friday I did 6 miles. Saturday I got lost, ended up running for a stretch on a highway with no shoulder! Ugh.7.5 miles.

Monday weigh in 151.

Ran 6 miles today. Having trouble with time and routes. Getting up early enough to do the longer runs is a bit difficult at this point. Also getting kinda stuck as to finding a good 7 mile route. The longest I can seem to make the run around the park is 6 miles. The out and back is good for 9 but well its a boring out and back. I guess I need to go up and over prune hill more often.

Feeling great. Anxious about the running schedule during our two week California vacation. Hmmm.

Reflections on "Sound to Narrows" 2010

Returning to your past is often a surreal experience.

My first impressions of the "Sound to Narrows" experience were formed out of my youth as we carpooled from Rochester High School with a few of my track teammates and our coach. We did this for two or three years. I remember one year snagging my sweatshirt on a mailbox as we ran warm ups. (I know, we thought we were so cool running a warm up before a 7.5 mile race.) I remember what seemed like a huge crowd. I remember some of the race(s). I remember the final hill. Oh, that final hill.

I remember anxiously waiting for the paper to publish the results a few days later. Dreaming that someday I would make the top 200 that get listed in a special section. Conveniently, I don't clearly remember my times. I could have finished in 56 minutes, I could have finished in 46 minutes. I don't clearly remember. My best guess is somewhere around :52 or :49.

So, upon arriving to my first "Sound to Narrows" race in about 21 years, I was struck by several factors. I was no longer comparing this experience to those events 21 years ago, I was comparing them to my experience running Bloomsday in Spokane 8 years ago. Bloomsday takes Spokane over. Most people in Tacoma had little to no idea the Sound to Narrows race was happening. Bloomsday registration takes a convention center. Sound to Narrows registration happens in REI. Starting areas for Bloomsday take up many city blocks. The starting area for Sound to Narrows took about one. Bloomsday brings in international racers offering prize money. Sound to Narrows has none.

My perspective had changed. What was once this big grand event in my mind, turned into a nice middle sized experience.

Pat, who started this latest running experience for me came down to run this as well. We met up at the starting area and I spent some time taking in the differences from this race to Bloomsday, that took a minute to get used to. We got our bib numbers on. The night before I realized I had forgotten the charger for my Garmin and I was disappointed not to have it. I wanted to have that record of the event. We had different race goals and although we tried to start together Pat graciously let me go when we got about a half mile in.

I stormed down the hill (remembering my regret from 21 years ago of not attacking that down hill more) it was great to pass a bunch of folks (part of the advantage of going in the second wave of runners.) It wasn't long though into mile 2 and 3 that I realized I was in for a chore of a race. There are NO flat areas on this course you are either going up hill or down hill. As the crowd thinned I also noticed that a few of us were basically keeping the same pace. Some slower up hills, some slower down hills.

Then there is the final hill. Phew, really I am pretty proud of myself for running up the whole thing. It didn't end. Finally we came up over the hill into the short final stretch. Time for the speed. I turned up the pace and looked at the clock 1:04, dang, I was momentarily disappointed until I realized that my start was 5 minutes AFTER the first wave! A final sprint to the finish and I was in just under one hour, Yippee.

I started walking up the course hoping to find a place to get a picture of Pat, but alas, he came to quickly and I wasn't able to get the picture.

Overall I was happy with the time, great to get some race experience and renewed in the realization that 26.2 miles is a LONG race. I need more work to be able to finish Portland well.

A race to do!

Yippee, Saturday June 12th all being well, I will be racing "Sound to Narrows." This was my first road race back in the day (1987.) I ran it for a couple of years, I think the last time I did so Ken Griffey Jr. was a rookie for the Seattle Mariners.

In some ways I look back on that time with some frustration. I still don't understand how I was not faster. Perhaps it was the lack of work in the off season. Why, oh why didn't I do more off season work in High School. Sigh. Still, running was a vital part of my life back then and it helped me to grow in many ways, so I am looking forward to going back. I don't remember what my times were. Did I break :50? Possibly. I know I dreamed of breaking into the top 200 finisher's but was never really close. The most frustrating year was my last run when as a student at the community college I ran with the High School group and some punk 8th grader kick my butt. I was pretty stunned. Stupid 8th grader with a beard! I didn't even have to shave once a week yet at that point!

Now I have begun running with Brianna. It is so much fun! She seems excited for 6th grade Cross Country next year and she has asked to run with me this summer to get ready. I bought her some proper running shoes this week (size 7!) She is already easily doing 1 mile with no breaks and we did 2.5 miles with walking breaks. A 5th grader! She may become like that 8th grader, kicking some old guy's butt.

My goal for this year's Sound to Narrows is to finish under an hour. Its a 12k with rolling hills and one good hill near the end of the race. I know I can finish near an hour. My long runs at the 7.5 mile mark are pretty consistently in at 1:03. I did 7.2 yesterday in 1:01. So I'm close.

I'm just excited to have a race to do! Yay racing!

20 weeks to go!

This week begins a final countdown of sorts. Most of the training programs you can find start 20 weeks before the big race. So this is the week to begin following an actual training schedule. Its good to have a schedule, but the summer race scene is not happening. Bloomsday was taken by a camping meeting. Sound to Narrows has been taken by a church council meeting. Sigh. Its so hard to find races that I can do! Ugh!

Getting up was difficult today, just didn't feel motivated. But the alarm went off and I managed to drag myself off to a 5 miler. Couldn't take the Garmin 'cause I had forgotten to charge it. So I don't really know what the effort was.

I was pleased to get on the scale afterwards and read 152! Yippee. Getting close to what I thought my race weight would be. Now I'm beginning to see that I may have been off by several pounds. Race weight may be closer to 145 or so. I've had to set aside most of my pants that I have bought in the last couple of years as they are simply too big and look horrible at this point. I know, poor me. But now I have to spend money not only on shoes but new pants! Sigh.

Speaking of shoes . . . I bought a new pair today. I retired one pair about a month ago but I am just now getting the replacement pair. Yay, new shoes. Now I am anxious to run tomorrow morning!

Lost on Prune Hill

Sunday was a day off for me. So I took a nice long run in the morning. I decided to use this opportunity to explore the top of "Prune Hill." I have some out and back runs that I do there occasionally but I was trying to make a loop by starting up the hill and coming down to the Heritage trail that I usually run on my long days. I got a little lost in the neighborhoods a couple of times but made a nice loop around the hill and the views of Portland and the Columbia river from the top were fantastic to behold. Eventually I made my way to the golf course and back to the trail. By the time I hit the trail I had done 8 miles and from that point I knew that I was 4 miles from home. Perfect! As 12 miles was my goal for the day. Even with the getting lost and extra hills I was happy with the pace. I finished the 12 in 1:49 or 9:04/mile according to Garmin. I was really happy with the pace as I felt like it was slower, so my "slow" is actually faster than I thought. I have hope yet that I can break 4:00 in the marathon in October.

I will be in Ellensburg at Lazy F camp most of this week. Opportunity for some serious hill training, but really I will be happy just to get in some decent runs.

Easter Week

I took Sunday afternoon off of running in order to spend time with the family. Did the long run on Monday morning and it felt great. Ended up doing 10 miles in 1:27. Knee felt good, felt light and strong pretty much throughout. Great feeling, 8:42 / mile pace with heart rate average of 163. Weeee.

Tuesday weigh in: 157

Ran an easy 3.2 miles today at an even 9 minutes per mile pace. Knee hurts. Ugh.

Elevation

Boise, ID 2,700

Salt Lake City, UT 4,200

Twin Falls, ID 3,700

I ran on treadmills in hotels at each of these places the last few days. Basically I did 5k setting the pace around 8:30 miles. I was just looking to get s a quick workout in before driving some more. It didn't occur to me until the final day that I was also running at some elevation. That made me feel better about the short distance. It was also a lot of fun to have Brianna with me either walking on a treadmill or using one of the other machines. (she had to check them all out of course.)

This morning I went out and felt GREAT. The legs felt light (although by the middle I noticed my right knee again, don't know whats up with that yet.) I came in after 6 miles to find my average pace was, yep 8:30 per mile!

Wow, that occasional speed work helps.

Short Run, Long Run

I took an abbreviated "long run" on Sunday. Only got in 5.5 miles. Better than nothing I was hoping for 7. I cut it short primarily to so I could have that hour with the girls instead of on the road. They had just finished the Spring Dance production and I wanted to have dinner with them before driving to Des Moines. . .

Did another 4.8 today. Facing a little bit of boredom in the runs. I need some new route options. I also need a race. Making the Bloomsday decision has taken some of the air out of my balloon. While I am still holding to the Marathon goal for October, I need a couple of races between now and then.

Tuesday weigh in . . .159

28.3

I did it, I ran a marathon, (plus some) OK, it took a week to do it but . . .

Daily runs this week 12, 4.8, 3.2, 3.8, 4.5

Pretty tired this week but basically feeling good. Really wanting to find a race soon.

Sigh, no Bloomsday for me this year

I have had to make the difficult decision to not run Bloomsday this year.

It was just going to be too difficult with the schedule. I would have had drive like a bat out of hades from Ocean Park to Portlad, catch a flight, hope to arrive before too late Saturday night and run in the morning. Its just too much. Sigh. So I need a new race. Any ideas?

Monday Update

First off, after my little rant last week . . . Monday weigh in 160.5.

12 miles yesterday. I am sore just about everywhere today. The first 9 miles were fine. After 9 I knew the last few were going to be hard. Mile 10 I was wondering if I could finish. Luckily there was also a long downhill about that time. At 12 miles I stopped the watch and started walking the rest of the last half mile home. Some 17,000 steps on the pedometer for the run. According to Garmin the run burned 1,500 calories.

I do feel like a new milestone has been achieved. I am keeping with the plan and it feels great to be achieving something tangible like this.

Hey love, hey love, my pedometer's back

Sometime ago I lost my GoZone pedometer. So what you ask when I have my great Garmin 305? I know. The Garmin is AWESOME! Only with the pedometer I can earn money!

You see, most UMC clergy are so out of shape that the denomination has put forward incentives to get us moving. Last year we were sent pedometers and offered rewards up to $300 for walking, biking or running.

Even that wasn't really enough incentive for me last year. I put off getting regular with my exercise routine. I made excuses. The best one was a sort of arrogance that said, "I can catch up anytime, I'll get started on that next . . . week, month, whatever." I knew once I started running getting those steps would be easy. So I didn't worry too much about wearing the dumb thing on normal days.

So now a year has passed and for the first year I earned only $125. $28 of that had to be spent ordering a new pedometer to replace the lost one. Sigh.

I didn't take advantage of the challenges which offered extra points toward the cash. I often lost or forgot my pedometer. For the most part I just didn't care after all its all those other folks who are lazy and out of shape that's not ME.

OK, it was me. But now a 5 mile run feels like the 2 mile ones used to. My long runs are in the double digits! I'm back in the game baby! So bring it on! I'm going to max out those steps and get that $300 and I should do it before Marathon day!

8,615 steps today and its just now 10:00 AM!

A little sore today

Yesterday I re-ran the same route as last week. 10.1 miles this time in one hour thirty minutes. Today I am a bit tired and a little sore.

I am frustrated with the scale. 163 this morning. After my long run on Friday I was pretty stoked, I saw 158.5 on the for the first time. I was sure today's weigh in would be at least 161 maybe even 160. I knew Friday's was low from dehydration but 5 pounds? Ugh. I feel thinner. I know the running is working. But 163? Again? Really?

I am trying to be careful with what I eat. I am trying to keep the portions down. Yes I know I had "fries with that" on two meals last week. Then there was the pizza the girls brought home on Saturday. I only had two pieces. Grrr.

Frustrating long run Sunday.

So Sunday I was all psyched to run and get into the double digits for the long run. I watched the great Hockey game between the U.S. and Canada. And I was all ready to go. I took my wonderful Garmin 305 running watch off of the charger and . . . nothing. Tried to hold down the power button . . . nothing. Held multiple buttons at the same time . . . nothing. So after some frustration I turned on the useless "running gypsy" program on my iphone and headed out. If nothing else I knew it would keep time for me even if the iphone's GPS is spotty at best.

The run went pretty well and I was out for an hour and 32 minutes. I am pretty sure it was a 10 mile route give or take a quarter mile. I will run the same route on Sunday and see just how close my guess is.

After the run I discovered a new development. Blisters. Oh joy. So on Monday I bought some new socks. I also bought some GU energy chews for the long runs. I also want to check out my hydration options as we get into warmer weather and the runs get longer.

Tuesday weigh in: 161.5

Mornings

I have switched. I am now waking up naturally at 6:00. I don't even need to set my alarm. However, today I did not want to get up. I tried to justify the opportuity I might have to run this afternoon instead. But by 6:20 I found myself getting out of bed and getting ready for a 4 mile run. (4.3 actually)

Today's run included a finish up Garfield hill. (I should measure it sometime) It's basically two blocks at a pretty steep incline. The one measurement I remember is that last time I ran up it my max heart rate got to 184, this time it topped out at 189. I don't know if that means I am more fit or if I am that much closer to a heart attack.

Bloomsday Training

I don't even know if I will be able to run Bloomsday yet. I would have to fly over as I have a meeting in Ocean Park on the day before the race. And I haven't decided if I can afford the flight and/or if I want to push my schedule to get to a flight on time in order to pick up my registration and all of that.

Assuming I am still on for Bloomsday here is my proposed training schedule:

Sunday February 21: Long Run 9, week’s total, 22
Sunday February 28: Long Run 10, week’s total, 24
Sunday March 7: Long Run 10, week’s total, 25
Sunday March 14: Long Run 11, week’s total, 26
Sunday March 21: Long Run 11, week’s total, 28
Sunday March 28: Long Run 12, week’s total, 28
Sunday April 4: Long Run 12, week’s total, 31
Sunday April 11: Long Run 13, week’s total, 33
Sunday April 18, Long Run 13, week’s total, 33
Sunday April 25, Long Run 10, week’s total, 19


Sunday May 2 Bloomsday 7.2 Goal: Under 1 Hour.

Now how did Pat get his training schedule to look so nice?

Finally getting it

I ran my long run yesterday. Well for the most part.

About 1.2 miles into the current long run route there is a park. As I am cruising by I notice a church member. Instead of just waving and continuing on I stopped and had a bit of a chat. Then I ran the next 6.9 miles of the run. No walking breaks. That is the first time I have done that on a long run. I slowed the pace down a bit. Afterwards looking at the heart rate monitor I noticed that I kept at about 167 the whole time and 9 minute miles. Then of course on they way by the park my church member was still there so I stopped again and had a little chat.

So 9.3 miles overall but I am very happy with the bulk of the run and feel like I held my pace well.

I am frustrated with the weight. 162.5 today. I want to lose more. 1/2 a pound a week is not what I am looking for. Oh well.

$107.50

OK, I am committed. I have registered for the Portland Marathon!

YIKES!

I loved this section of the registration . . .

Number of Marathons completed . . . 0

Number or Portland Marathons completed . . . 0

Predicted Time . . . Uh, how about I hope to finish, and I damn well better finish faster than Oprah or those folks from Biggest Loser . . . but I'm not likely to qualify for Boston either . . . Uh I dunno how about 4:00 . . . well better make it 4:20 . . . OK 4:20 is the absolute slowest I hope to finish in. Hope that doesn't put me with the walkers . . .

Todays run was an easy 3.2 mile jog. 9 minute miles. Average heart rate 153.

Running along

So, Lent begins tomorrow and I have a post up on "grace and stuff" about Pancake Tuesday.

This being the running blog it will be interesting to see how I seperate the running and the daily devotions for Lent.

The run began today in a beautiful feeling of just running. I didn't have to think about it, I didn't have to push on, it was just smooth and for the most part the entire 3.2 miles was like that. Just a nice easy pace to start the day.

Now for a tweet? nah I'll wait for Ash Wednesday to start that little adventure.

Monday Update

Monday weigh in: 163

I ran 9.1 miles yesterday. At the begining of the run I wasn't sure I was going to make it 5 miles, I felt tired. By about 3.5 miles I stopped thinking about it and just kept going until the turnaround. The second half was good although I did take a couple walking breaks.

At this point the Sunday run along the lake is begining to create a little community. There are a few familiar faces met along the way of others who seem to like a run on the lake around 3:00 on Sunday afternoons. I run by with a wave and a smile wondering if some of them will be running the Portland Marathon. Yesterday there were a number of families and couples walking.

I am growing curious about the heart monitor and my running pace. What I seem to be doing is running at about a 174 beats per minute pace and then taking a walking break. The websites suggest I am going too fast. But to slow down much would feel just to darn slow. The first half of the run shows an average of 160 then the return has an average of 170. So obviously I was working harder on the second half.

At this point I will remain curious.

Schedule

Here's my schedule of events to keep me motivated for Portland 2010.

• Feb 28, Chilly-Hilly bike ride
• April 11, Whidbey Island Half marathon
• June 6, North Olympic Discovery Half marathon
• July 8, Chelanman Triathlon (sprint)
• Aug 22, Lake Union 10K
• Sept 4, Umpqua Ultimate Triathlon (sprint)
• Oct 10, Portland Marathon

For the Whidbey Island half-marathon, my coach (and wife) made my weekly long run schedule to be:

Week 1: 6 mile run
Week 2: 6 mile run
Week 3: 8 mile run
Week 4: 8 mile run
Week 5: 10 mile run
Week 6: 10 mile run
Week 7: 12 mile run
Week 8: 12 mile run
Week 9: 8 mile run
Week 10: half-marathon (13 mile run)

I'm Back

Sorry about my absence. Had a minor medical issue that needed to be resolved. Okay, wasn't anything minor about it.

For my medical checkup in December, I did a cardio stress in order to make sure that a family history of heart problems wasn't going to get in the way of running a marathon. The EKG portion of the test was not good. (Funny that the medical interpretation of it is called get a "positive" result.) However, the ultrasound portion of the test looked good (was negative). The only way that the doctor would be confident in any of his recommendations to me, I had an angiogram conducted on New Year's Eve Day (Dec. 31). (For more information about the procedure: http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/coronary-angiogram.html)

To cut to the chase, the angiogram was good. The heart is looking good and no indications of blockages. So, my cardio stress test was a false-positive. (At least I've got a 'real-life' example to use in my math class. http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/462146-196/math-of-false-positives-complicates-medical-testing.html)

So, I'm back on the road.

Change

Tomorrow's sermon is about change. I will be talking about computer technology and reminding folks about the fast changes we have already experienced and then point to some of the possibilities of the future. While doing this we will be considering what do some of these changes imply for people of faith and how do we find our center in a time of constant change?

During my long run today I started out too fast. I was feeling good, and what I didn't know the wind was at my back and then I turned around and faced that wind and I knew I was in trouble. Making use of my technological marvel that little Garmin 305 on my wrist I checked my heart rate, 177. Way too close to my max of about 184. I slowed the pace down, walked a few times when I hit 170 and drug myself home for an 8.5 mile run.

When the pace is too fast we have to have ways to slow down. While we cannot control all the changes happening around us we can choose how to live in the midst of all that change. With the exception of my technological toy, running is one refuge from the changes of the world.

I bought a new pair of shoes this week. I amused myself by realizing just how long I have been buying essentially the same running shoe. My standard shoe when I was running in high school was the Nike Pegasus. It is still my default shoe. When in doubt I know that shoe fits and meets my needs. So I told the salesman that usually I start with that shoe and he moved me to an Adidas. Adidas? I know, but it was the most comfortable of the three he brought out. I happened to notice a women running on the sidewalk outside the store with a pair of those about an hour before. (I wonder if the store is getting a good mark up on those?) I didn't mind too much as I want to support my little local running store. I will use them for my short runs next week and see how it goes.

See change. I can change types of shoe, but while the shoes are slightly different, the running is becoming familiar. The steady pace, the thrill of allowing the legs to go on a short downhill, the fantastic feeling for the rest of the day knowing my body has been working hard. All that is familiar and they are welcome feelings. I can even let go to some degree the fact that my pace is about a minute a mile slower than it was 10 years ago. (so far that is, I may yet see a seven minute mile pace.)

OK, time to get to the finishing touches on the sermon.

February 1 Monday weigh in.

First off. . . the Monday weigh in is . . . 164. So that is progressing, but not quite as fast as I would like.

January was a good running month.

I am loving my new Garmin 305. I began using it on the 19th with a 3.25 mile run doing a slowish 9:12 minutes a mile. My long run on the 24th was 7.28 miles at a 8:43 pace. (I guess hills really do make a difference even on the short runs.) The heartrate monitor thing is a lot of fun too. Not that I really know what I am doing with it yet. But on the long run my average heart rate was 172. According to some of the web information my "max" heart rate should be about 180 ish and I hit 181 a couple of times in the run.

Being in better shape is great, except now I may need to buy some new pants. :)

This week I am planning to register for Bloomsday. My first big run of the year. So far I'm not really looking for much else except of course Portland. Don't know when I should commit and register for that.

Peace Y'all,

Bruce