Pikesville 5k 2012

  When you run a race in July in Maryland you know it’s going to be hot and humid.  This race was no exception.  I ran 8 miles in the rain on Saturday (surprisingly refreshing), so I wasn’t hoping to PR or do anything amazing in this race…well mission accomplished as far as trying to beat a best time! 

It's amazing the effect a
little plastic trophy has!

  However, I got my first trophy (the first benefit of being 30 is that I’m now in the 30-39 group!), so 2^nd place age group award and a nice little trophy.  Anyways, here we go:

    This is nice small race in Pikesville that benefits the Greenbaum Cancer Center.  It start at the Woodholme Center and is an out and back course.  And here we go with the recap:

Mile 1:  Mile 1 was amateur hour…not that we all don’t go out too fast, but with a smaller race like this I watched a lot of people that torched me off the line.  It was an uphill climb in the beginning and all I really knew about the course was that it was an out and back, so I would benefit when this would be downhill in Mile 3.  I felt really good and settled into a nice 7:0Xish pace.  After about the first half mile I passed a bunch of people.  First split 7:05.

Mile 2:  I passed on getting water because I felt I had a pretty good rhythm...here is where I thought the course … well … sucked.  Two turnaround points…so I make the turn around a small cone…and then run about 100 ft then a right turn and then another turn around another cone.  I was a little frustrated and then I hit mile 2 marker at 7:11 pace…I was sweating pretty bad, but nobody had passed me since about the first half mile..

Mile 3:  In the beginning of this mile there was a slight gradual incline…it looks to be nothing on my garmin…however it was horrible…maybe it was the heat maybe it was the effects of running 8 miles the day before…either way I was slowwwwwing down.  However, I dug down deep when someone came to pass me.  I knew if I could hold this guy off to about the 2.75 mark I could beat him…..unfortunately my split came in at 7:35 as I was too concerned with just staying right with this guy and not racing my own race. 

Mile 3.1:  So at the mile 3 marker I basically made it a point to beat the guy I was running stride for stride, picked off another guy before the finish, and just didn’t have enough to catch up to one more guy.  My pace for the last .1 was a 5:48/pace (my faster pace actually started at the 2.8 mark, which proves running is just mental at times as I was telling myself I needed to hold off that one guy until 2.75 mark).

The Good:  This race benefits a good cause…it’s probably also one of the few 5Ks in July.

The Bad:  Two turnaround points, the heat, the humidity

The Ugly:   I’m not sure how I can sweat so much for a 5k…my shirt was more drenched than in Baltimore 10 miler.

Overall:  40 of 540

Gender:  34^th out of ?

Age:  3^rd out of ?  (but 2^nd on gun time which got me 2^nd place age group award woo hoo!)

Track Time Wednesday

Well another speed workout success.  Today was 10 x 400m at a 91 second pace (about a 6 minute mile) with 90 seconds rest inbetween (well it said up to 90 seconds....and since I didn't want to be a hero I chose 90 seconds everytime!)

I warmed up at a nice pace for about 12-15 minutes and then hit the track...I knew I would be annoyed today as there were 4 girls that somehow thought doing yoga on the track was a good idea....better yet they thought it was necessary to take up almost an enitre section (have I mentioned how much I hate people at 5:45 in the morning).  Anyways, they were stupid but I still managed to get my workout.  Here are the splits with some of the thoughts after I finished them.

1.)  86.9 seconds (uh oh a little fast)
2.)  85.0 seconds (you really have no idea how to pace yourself do you?)
3.)  86.5 seconds (you are going to regret doing these at this pace probably around the 6th one)
4.)  88.4 seconds (it didn't feel like I slowed down from the previous ones...)
5.)  89.6 seconds (this is a bad trend...I'm getting slower and feel worse and worse!)
6.)  89.3 seconds (only 4 more!!!!)
7.)  91.4 seconds (the last 3 are going to hurt...just get through 8 and 9...10 will be easy)
8.)  91.7 seconds (yep, that hurt and I can't breathe how are these 90 seconds rests going so fast!)
9.)  91.0 seconds (I think I would die if I had to do 11 of these)
10.)  88.6 seconds (FINISHEDDDDD!)

Overall, I was pretty happy with the workout....any workout you finish is a success and I was a little worried after the first 5 that I would really struggle the rest of the way....I mean I did struggle...that pace feels awful right now, but a little pain now will hopefully pay dividends at my next couple of races. 

The 5th of July

Well the 4th of July was a great day!  I can't remember the last time having a random Wednesday off of work, but it did give me time to test out a semi-speed workout.  As mentioned on Tuesday I had a plan for the madness on Wednesday morning.

400m in 103 seconds, 52 seconds rest (6:57/pace)
800m in 03:27, 01:43 rest (6:38/pace)
1200m in 05:10, 02:35 rest (6:44/pace)
1600m in 06:54 (this will hurt!), 03:27 rest (6:51/pace)
1200m in 05:10, 02:35 rest (7:01/pace)
800m in 03:27, 01:43 rest (7:05/pace)
400m in 103 seconds. (6:26/pace)

The blue highlights equal the pace I actually did.  I believe the targets were for a 6:54/mile pace.  Overall a relatively successful workout.  Although the mile was tough I felt the 1200m after the 1600m was the hardest.  The 800m after that my legs felt really heavy.  The last 400m was probably the fastest due to my excitement of going home and resting!

I hope to do this workout again in a month or so to gauge my fitness progress.  Hope everyone had a good 4th!

Tuesday ... another one

Well this morning started as most mornings do...alarm clock...dread....and then forcing myself to get up.  I felt like this cartoon guy. 

The good news about my recent mornings is my left foot feels great!  The bad news is that the top of my right foot now hurts!  Awesome.  I will blame this all on old age.  The pain isn't terrible and I rarely feel it when running, but notice it more afterwards.  No swelling or anything like that either.  It's probalby my first foot secretly wanting all the attention my left foot was getting for the past 6 weeks.

Anyways, with tomorrow off I'm contemplating a new (new and horrible) workout. 

I found what kids call these day a "Pyramid" ... after reading this workout I realized afterwards I would curse Egpytians all Wednesday, but hey tomorrow will be the 4th of July:)

Anyways,

All done at 5km pace (103 seconds per lap), recovery half of effort time.
400m in 103 seconds, 52 seconds rest
800m in 03:27, 01:43 rest
1200m in 05:10, 02:35 rest
1600m in 06:54 (this will hurt!), 03:27 rest
1200m in 05:10, 02:35 rest
800m in 03:27, 01:43 rest
400m in 103 seconds.

Could be a good challenge for tomorrow.  Here is a link to the site that calculates your workouts based on a target time http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/training/pace

Have a happy 4th !