Foxtrot 5k 2017

Matt -     Place: 11; Net Time: 22:59.3; Avg. pace: 7:25/mi
Ashley -  Place: 36; Net Time: 28:33.4; Avg. pace: 9:13/mi
Mike -     Place: 64; Net Time: 34:36.1; Avg. pace: 11:09/mi

A mid-March 5k race is quite unpredictable. Not only can the weather range from sunny and mid-60s to rainy and low 40s, it can do that in the same day. This time of year is also the first race most of us have done since winter fell. Creaking joints and blurry eyes still managed to make it to the start line outside of the Capitol Market the day after St. Patrick's Day. It had rained a lot in the pre-dawn hours leaving the pavement slick. The temperatures hovered in the 40-45 degree range depending on whether the sun was peaking out through the clouds. Mike, Ashley, and I got to the start line and noticed that not too many runners were toeing said line. I moved up immediately in order to not get caught behind any walkers. Apparently, this race was not going to be crowded with speedsters. Mike and Ashley both moved up behind me a couple minutes before the gun sounded.

As usual, the anticipation to start running was high and it felt like we waited an hour to get moving. The gun finally sounded and I happily half-sprinted the first few hundred meters, shaking off the cold. Wet roads mostly did not affect my stride. The first half mile was pancake flat, then we hit a short uphill stint on Chilton Street which connected the route to Piedmont Road. That small hill broke up my pace and got me breathing heavy. The one-mile-mark was hit behind Laidley Field and I finished that first split in about 7:10. That was a little too fast given that the back half would be slightly uphill on the same stretch next to Laidley Field.
I hit the halfway mark behind the Capitol, where I ran around an older gentleman race volunteer who runners were treating like a cone. My first 1.5 miles was right about the same 7:10 pace I had on the first mile. All that was left was to return on the same roads that led to the Capitol. The second mile was completed, again, behind Laidley; my pace had slowed down to about 7:30 for this split. I battled to keep a decent pace on the slight uphill stretch. Then, I hit Chilton Street again and coasted downhill for 100 meters or so. My pace slowed down again on the flats. Once I hit Smith Street though, I was able to muster a three-quarters sprint to the finish line. I could see the clock ticking up towards 23:00 at the finish and tried my best to beat that mark. I missed it by two seconds but thankfully my net time was seven-hundredths of a second below it. Talk about cutting it close.

The cool down period took a solid minute. I grabbed a couple waters and returned to the finish line to get a few photos of Ashley's finish. She ran to the finish all smiles, hands in the air.

Mike had some knee pain and was admittedly not in his running shape yet this year. He still had a nice sprint to the finish line though.

We finished and waited around for a while. With such a small field of runners we anticipated that Ashley or I may have placed in our age groups. Little did we suspect that we both placed first in our age groups. That is a PTR first, no doubt. Mike scolded us for betraying the essence of participation trophy running, which we deserved. With dined over the good news at First Watch.
With our first race of 2017 in the books we look forward to more fun on the roads this Spring.

Warm Winter for Running

The Stats
02/01/17: 3.16 mi; 25'33"; 8'04" avg. pace
02/05/17: 3.16 mi; 24'05"; 7'37" avg. pace
02/06/17: 4.84 mi; 42'19"; 8'44" avg. pace
02/13/17: 3.12 mi; 24'45"; 7'56" avg. pace
02/20/17: 3.12 mi; 22'43"; 7'17" avg. pace
                      02/22/17: 2.92 mi; 34'57"; 11'57" avg. pace (hill intervals)
                      02/27/17: 3.11 mi; 23'34"; 7'34" avg. pace

February started with a nice day for running and I took advantage of it. That run was a 5k interval training effort with five, fast paced segments and jogging in between them. Four days later, on Super Bowl Sunday, I ran another 5k at a constant pace. I almost finished that one under the 24-minute mark and neared 7'30" miles on average. It was not quite as exciting as the game that night, but it did justify a lot of game time snacking. The next day I decided to do a longer run with hills. I had never ran on the Carriage Trail next to Bridge Road, so I decided to jog down MacCorkle before ascending it. It certainly reduced me to a slow pace and had me sucking plenty of wind. I hit the trail summit and snapped a quick picture on the way down.

To get a bit more hill training, I jogged less than a quarter mile up Bridge Road before returning to MacCorkle Ave. On the way home, I got hit with acute stomach pain. My lower intestines were bouncing around and screaming at me to get home. I managed to keep jogging to reduce the time spent in pain though it probably did not help the intensity of the pain. I hadn't had a bad running experience with stomach issues like that for a while. Let's hope it was an aberration.
The weather intervened for the next week with only a short bike ride on Feb. 11th allowing me to get outside. The next Monday I did manage to run another 5k interval. I got my time down to under eight-minute miles for that effort. Then, another week passed before I could hit the pavement again. But the rest may have been behind my awesome pace on Feb. 20th. With temperatures in the mid-60s, I ran a 5k that day under 23 minutes. I was shocked at how much I had improved in only a month of training. Two days later, I decided to do a "long hill sprints" exercise. I ran up the Carriage Trail for one minute and noted my stopping point. After jogging back down hill and recovering, I did five more sprint efforts up the hill, ending at the same point each time. The result was 557 vertical feet of climbing and some sore legs.
The next day, I took a break from running and went on a bike ride. I decided to test out Mount Alpha for the first time this year. To my surprise, I recorded my best time on the "Mt Alpha to Whispering Woods" segment according to Strava. I had trouble with my easiest gear at the beginning of the hill and that caused me to stand up on the pedals and work harder. I still didn't think it would be my best time but you never know until you look at the results.

My last run of the month was a little sobering, but still very promising. In colder weather I could not match the 7'17" avg. pace for a 5k that I ran earlier in the month. Still, I toughed out a 5k at 23'34" which is a good pace. I am well on my way to running a 5k under 22 minutes. It will take a couple more months, better weather, and good training. Eyes on the prize.

2017 Off to a Sprint, 5k Training

The Stats
01/02/17: 3.17 mi; 24'51"; 7'49" avg pace
01/16/17: 3.16 mi; 25'03"; 7'55" avg pace
01/18/17: 3.18 mi; 26'08"; 8'17" avg pace
01/19/17: 5.01 mi; 41'46"; 8'19" avg pace
01/23/17: 1.37 mi; 20'23"; 14'48" avg pace (hill sprints)
                      01/24/17: 3.11 mi; 24'33"; 7'53" avg pace

The new year got off to a good start for running with an unseasonably warm day on Jan. 2nd. I took advantage of the day off and managed an afternoon run between watching bowl games (how about that Rose Bowl?). I was happy with the sub 8-minute-mile pace and put it down to the weather and being in decent shape. Colder weather over the next two weeks kept me inside on the bike trainer.
My next running effort was another 5k around the block on a cloudy Monday after work. The pace was about the same, solid but not great. This got me thinking about my running training in general. For the past few years I have exercised without a real goal in mind aside from staying fit and keeping my weight under control. I decided it would be more interesting, fun, and ultimately healthy to adopt a running goal. Mine is simple: I want to run a 5k in under 21:45, that would average a sub 7-minute mile average pace. A very helpful article in Runners' World by a long-time coach, turned me onto some exercises designed to improve stride, endurance, and sprint speed. I found it convincing and decided to adopt his regiment to the best of my ability and scheduling availability.
The next run on Jan. 18 was a 5k interval run. I would alternate between jogging and running at my optimal 5k pace. I ran 5 5k segments at about a 7-minute per mile pace. The jogging recovery pace was much slower at about 9:10 per mile. The next day, I ran a 5-miler, as that coach suggests mixing in some medium and longer distance runs to aid endurance. It's always helpful to be able to run farther than you actually have to in any given race. To start the following week, I ran short and steep hill intervals from the base of Bridge Road. I would sprint up the road about 300 meters and recover on the walk back down to the bridge. Eight of those at a sprint pace under six minutes per mile on a windy day had me sucking for wind. The hill sprints are supposed to help make the running stride more efficient (longer, quicker strides) while toning the fast-twitch muscle fibers.
I finished off the month with a regular 'ole 5k run. I was able to hit around a 7:10 pace three times during the run, but I still ended up with a similar overall pace to runs at the beginning of the month. Still, I am looking forward to the quicker times and better runs that I feel confident will result from a more focused running training program. I'll post that progress at the end of February. Until then, happy running!

Cold Weather Running

The Stats
12/05: 3.17 mi; 27'15"; 8'35" avg. pace
12/07: 5.01 mi; 43'02"; 8'35" avg. pace
12/08: 3.50 mi; 30'07"; 8'35" avg. pace
12/12: 6.23 mi; 54'32"; 8'45" avg. pace
12/13: 5.10 mi; 44'38"; 8'44" avg. pace
                     12/28: 3.16 mi; 25'34"; 8'05" avg. pace

As the weather turned colder, I ran the most miles of any month in 2016. This was due in large part to a heavier load on the bike during the summer and fall this year. Also, I entered a Brooks' Running challenge on Strava that required participants to run six hours over a twelve day period. I failed to complete the challenge (the randomly chosen finishers got a pair of shoes), but I still got out and ran on days that I usually write-off as "too cold." My pace was considerably slower, as I had an incentive to spend more time running. My right knee was getting over some joint stiffness as well, which kept me about 30 seconds below my long-run-average per mile pace. I was particularly pleased with the 10k distance on 12/12, half of which occurred in the dark; it was like a running neighborhood Christmas lights tour through Kanawha City. The lights reflecting off the river kept me distracted from the intermittent knee and muscle pains.
I managed seven workouts on the indoor bike trainer in December, including my first few races on Zwift. The races are categorized by Watts per kilogram (W/kg), i.e. how much power you exert and given how much you weigh. I usually ride in the 2.7 - 3.4 W/kg range, which puts me in the C-grade on races. The categories go from 'A' being the fastest to 'D' being the slowest. My old trainer may be holding back my results, but I also could simply be weaker than a lot of the serious riders on Zwift. Shelling out $500-$600 on a new trainer is not exactly appealing right now.
It was satisfying to finish the year with a solid month of running. I have found that running is the best cardio exercise when it comes to controlling weight and full-body shape. A goal for 2017 will be to better balance cycling and running to optimize overall health. With the addition of a pull-up bar to my home gym in the basement, I should have some upper body strength soon to boot.

2016 Hot Diggity Dog 5k

Place: 58/375; Net Time: 24:46.5; Avg. pace 8:05 per mile

Thanksgiving morning was cool and wet this year. Emily, Ashley, and I gathered at St. Albans high school to run the Hot Diggity Dog 5k for the second year in a row. The race started in a bunch and it was difficult to set a steady pace in the sea of almost 400 runners and walkers. I accelerated to find a path through the traffic and as a result ran my fastest split in the first mile (7:38). After the first mile, I realized I was far away from peak running shape and slowed down. The rain picked up slightly in the second mile, and I sucked serious wind. I still managed an eight-minute-mile in the second split. Then, the course ran up the only hill of the race, slowing me and the other runners down considerably. The hill was about a 20 foot incline that only lasted for one-tenth of a mile - short and steep. It was hard to return to my previous pace, even after coming back down the same hill. Hence, the third mile was my slowest split time. The rain abated in the last part of the race leaving the streets wet and difficult to grip cleanly. But no excuses. I was pleased with the net time, given my lack of run training this fall. I finished next to two other guys, one of whom had the energy for a sprint and took off past me 20 meters from the finish line. I had no such burst and jogged across the finish. I caught my breath and watched Ashley then Emily finish. The consensus? It was a good run for all, but far from our best. And the course is nothing special to look at. Still, it is a good motivator to get out and run on Thanksgiving morning. I imagine we will be back for the 2017 edition.

Shoe Review - Saucony Guide 10s

Trial Run
2.0 mi; 16'16"; 8'05" avg. pace

I paid a visit to Robert's Running in Charleston last weekend to buy some new running kicks. As is my custom, I went in expecting to buy one brand of shoe and ended up getting something different. Although to be fair to myself, I have alternated between buying Saucony and Brooks for the last four years. I retired the Brooks Adrenaline 14 and tried on the Brooks Adrenaline 17 first. The were comfortable and I thought about buying them and walking out of the store. But I thought I should try on the comparable Saucony model. I bought the Saucony Guide 6s back in early 2013. By comparison the Guide 10s had a softer, more flexible upper mesh and a new cushioning system. It simply was less noticeable on my foot than the Adrenaline 17s. Hence, I walked out of the store with them.

 

Today I took these shoes on a first run. It was a short 2 miler around the block. The heal-toe-offset of 8 mm was noticeable, as the cushioning on my old shoes was completely worn out. It felt like the shoes were encouraging me to keep a quick pace as I sprung forward. And the impact with the ground was much easier given new cushioning. I had a good average pace despite not having run in over a month. The strong heel gives good support when striking the ground. Overall, I am happy with the purchase, although it is too early to teel how long the shoes will last and how they age with the miles. Still, it is another strong showing by Saucony. 8/10.

Fall Cycling

The Stats - October
11 rides; 148 miles; 13.4 miles per ride; 8,188 feet elevation gain

I hardly did any running in October. Instead I tried to see how many feet I could climb on the bike. I got to over 8,000 feet, as you can see. That is over a mile and a half of elevation gain for the month. My pace has noticeably improved as a result. The fall weather has helped as well, but I continue to set PRs on hill segments and flat segments due to an emphasize on hill training.
Strava has monthly challenges for cycling and running. Their climbing challenge was to ride 9,000 meters in October, which is something crazy like 29,000 feet. I am not sure I can ever get there, but it is interesting to see what other amateurs are doing.
The coming months will likely bring a lot of indoor cycling on Zwift. They have a fun sweepstakes going in November where you can win a trip to their headquarters and some swag if you ride 100 km on a virtual kid's tricycle. I may try that out one night; it would take me a little over three hours.
In running news, the PTR crew is set to run The Hot Diggity Dog 5k in St. Albans for Thanksgiving again this year. I need to purchase some new shoes from Roberts before that takes place. My two-year-old Brooks are still wearable, but the tread is nearly gone and I can convert them to casual shoes. Brooks have won me over and I will probably buy another pair. The Adrenaline GTS 17 shoes look like winners. I will recap the Thanksgiving 5k near the end of the month. Until then, happy running!