Did the Turkey Trot this morning with my wife, a friend of hers and some peeps from BRTri. Wasn't feeling it and I went out a little too fast. Ran a 6:35 on the first mile, which didn't feel good. Died at around 1.5 mile mark and limped in. Finished in 22:58, which isn't even a PR. That is only a 7:25 pace, terrible.
The wife however, cut about tree minutes off her 5k time. The last race she ran was a 3 miler where she went 32:15 for a 10:45 pace. This morning she went 3.1 in 30:11, which is a 9:44 pace. She knocked one minute per mile off in just over two months of training. I am so proud of her.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Taking It Easy
I haven't been on my road bike since Iron Star. That makes two weeks, is that bad? No desire yet to get back on it. Maybe after Thanksgiving. I have been on my mountain bike though and really enjoyed that. Have still been swimming and running with no pressure of course. Have been running with my wife and some friends who are doing the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon in a couple of weeks. Been taking it easy with them and just enjoying running.
I am so proud of my wife, she ran 11.5 on Friday. Her last long run before the Half Marathon. She ran with two of her friends for the first half and then I met her with the kids and I pushed the kids along while running to keep her company for the last 5 miles. It was fun. Of course, she has taken over the Garmin and is addicted. I may have to find her one for Christmas. Don't know if we can keep sharing the one we've got.
Going to do the Turkey Trot 5k on Thursday and then the Reindeer Run 5k the night before Melissa does the half mary. Trying to get a good shave time for the Shave Your 5k Challenge.Would like to go 21:42 for a 7:00 average, but don't think I am going to make it. Just haven't been motivated to do enough speedwork since the race. Definitely didn't have the speed after all the long and 80% heart rate runs I was doing for the Half Iron. See if I can throw down a 6:30 for the first mile and then hold on after that. Didn't work last time...
Think I might do a mountain bike race in a couple of weeks if I can get my bike fixed. Got a loose crank arm that I need to get replaced. We'll see.
I am so proud of my wife, she ran 11.5 on Friday. Her last long run before the Half Marathon. She ran with two of her friends for the first half and then I met her with the kids and I pushed the kids along while running to keep her company for the last 5 miles. It was fun. Of course, she has taken over the Garmin and is addicted. I may have to find her one for Christmas. Don't know if we can keep sharing the one we've got.
Going to do the Turkey Trot 5k on Thursday and then the Reindeer Run 5k the night before Melissa does the half mary. Trying to get a good shave time for the Shave Your 5k Challenge.Would like to go 21:42 for a 7:00 average, but don't think I am going to make it. Just haven't been motivated to do enough speedwork since the race. Definitely didn't have the speed after all the long and 80% heart rate runs I was doing for the Half Iron. See if I can throw down a 6:30 for the first mile and then hold on after that. Didn't work last time...
Think I might do a mountain bike race in a couple of weeks if I can get my bike fixed. Got a loose crank arm that I need to get replaced. We'll see.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Iron Star Race Report
The morning started off with a chilly temp of 40 at race time. They had the race at the resort even though it was still under construction. Was in the first wave so I got to hit the water early. The water temp was 73-74, so it actually wasn't that bad for the handful of us without wetsuits. The first leg was straight into the sun. We spread out pretty good, so there wasn't much jostling for position. The long stretch parallel to the beach was nice except for the widely spaced small markers. Made it hard to sight, although somehow I managed to stay within 10 yards of them the whole way. Turn into the finish had the sun on your right which made it tough, but the shaded goggles (got a tip on the sun from a fellow BRTri guy who had done the race) made it bearable. Finished in around 39-40 min, which is just about right for me.
The first 20 miles on the bike through town and the national forest were nice. Hilly, but nice. The 5 mile chip seal portion just before the turnaround was bearable on the way out due to a slight tailwind. However, that made it terrible on the way back since it was now a moderate headwind which would continue for the remainder of the bike. Started to slow considerably around miles 32-35, which I thought was due to the hills, fatigue and the wind. However, I had been hydrating well and taking in enough fuel so I was kind of ticked. At about mile 40, I realized what the real problem was, a slow leaking rear tire that had finally made it to where I could feel the stem hitting the rim. I stopped and made the bad decision of just filling it up hoping it would hold for the last 16. 3 miles later I was stopped again changing the rear tube. Lost around 16 minutes to the 2 stops. Finished the bike around 3:20 I think, which had me really disappointed since I had been going so good until the flat.
The run starts off on the main road to the resort, but after mile 1 turns into a private neighborhood for the next 7 miles. It snaked through there with aid stations at every mile with some small rolling hills. Felt good for the first 8, until the run gets back on the highway for two miles. Those two miles had two nice sizable hills that just took it out of me. Ran the first 9 miles, but had to start the run/walk combo after that. Mile 12-12.5 was one last major hill. The final stretch into town (run was point to point) was flat, so I made myself run it in to finish on a high note. Finished the run in around 2:15. Went 6:18 overall. Would have loved to be sub 6 for my first half and felt like I could have easily made it without the rear tire issues. Let it get to me mentally some on the run once I realized there was no way I could make 6 with my pace.
The race was well run, lots of helpful volunteers, not too many people and a nice course. A little hillier then I would have liked for my first go at the distance, but it was a good experience. Can't wait for New Orleans. I know how hilly that will be...
The first 20 miles on the bike through town and the national forest were nice. Hilly, but nice. The 5 mile chip seal portion just before the turnaround was bearable on the way out due to a slight tailwind. However, that made it terrible on the way back since it was now a moderate headwind which would continue for the remainder of the bike. Started to slow considerably around miles 32-35, which I thought was due to the hills, fatigue and the wind. However, I had been hydrating well and taking in enough fuel so I was kind of ticked. At about mile 40, I realized what the real problem was, a slow leaking rear tire that had finally made it to where I could feel the stem hitting the rim. I stopped and made the bad decision of just filling it up hoping it would hold for the last 16. 3 miles later I was stopped again changing the rear tube. Lost around 16 minutes to the 2 stops. Finished the bike around 3:20 I think, which had me really disappointed since I had been going so good until the flat.
The run starts off on the main road to the resort, but after mile 1 turns into a private neighborhood for the next 7 miles. It snaked through there with aid stations at every mile with some small rolling hills. Felt good for the first 8, until the run gets back on the highway for two miles. Those two miles had two nice sizable hills that just took it out of me. Ran the first 9 miles, but had to start the run/walk combo after that. Mile 12-12.5 was one last major hill. The final stretch into town (run was point to point) was flat, so I made myself run it in to finish on a high note. Finished the run in around 2:15. Went 6:18 overall. Would have loved to be sub 6 for my first half and felt like I could have easily made it without the rear tire issues. Let it get to me mentally some on the run once I realized there was no way I could make 6 with my pace.
The race was well run, lots of helpful volunteers, not too many people and a nice course. A little hillier then I would have liked for my first go at the distance, but it was a good experience. Can't wait for New Orleans. I know how hilly that will be...
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Ironstar Half Iron
Finished, not nearly as fast as I wanted, 6:18, but I made it. Should have been under 6, but had a slow leaking rear tire that I had to stop twice to fix. Wasted 16 minutes simply in filling the tire up at the first stop and then actually changing it 3 miles later. Don't know how much time I wasted in riding on a low tire. Pretty sure it was more than 2 minutes though...Race report to come later this week.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Getting Closer
T minus 6 days and counting to the Ironstar Half Iron. After I go vote tomorrow morning, it is going to be a rest day from the taper. Five straight days of training have me ready for a day off. Swam and ran last Thursday, ran on Friday, and ran 10k on Saturday morning before Melissa went to work. Then I did a bike/run brick on Sunday consisting of a 31 mile bike and 30 minute run at half marathon pace -:45/mile (8:15). Then I swam 2100 yds this morning (in a sauna, I'll explain) and then ran 3 miles. Going to hit the trainer on Wednesday morning and do some short but fast runs this week. Taking Friday off from work so I can get prepared to leave on Saturday.
The sauna, otherwise known as the lap pool at my local Y. The new Aquatics director at the Y has some asinine reasoning that the pool should stay at 87 degrees during the winter. Something about the afternoon youth swim team complaining about the temperature of the water. Hello, what about the freakin' adults who pay their hard earned money to come to the pool at 5:00 am only to have to cut their swim short because they can no longer breath and swim since it is so freakin' hot in the pool. A pool should be kept at 80-82 degrees if you are going to be swimming laps in it, which is kind of the point of having a lap pool at the Y. If the kids can't handle it for 30 minutes in the afternoon, then they don't need to be swimming. I personally would like the pool to be 75 degrees, but understand that some people like it warm and will compromise at 82 degrees, but not 87. Forgot to fill out a complaint form, but rest assured I'll let them know about it this week. National swim organization says 79-82 is the optimum water temperature for competition swimming and the Chinese argued that it is actually 80.6 degrees which is what they kept the water temperature in the cube at the Olympics to promote world record times. Seems like they should know what they are talking about, but apparently they don't compared to the Aquatics director...
Looking forward to getting to Houston, watching LSU beat 'Bama, and then heading to the race on Sunday. Friends are taking me to lunch on Wednesday to wish me luck. Hoping my buddy who just completed Ironman Florida will come to offer some helpful tips from his experience this weekend.
The sauna, otherwise known as the lap pool at my local Y. The new Aquatics director at the Y has some asinine reasoning that the pool should stay at 87 degrees during the winter. Something about the afternoon youth swim team complaining about the temperature of the water. Hello, what about the freakin' adults who pay their hard earned money to come to the pool at 5:00 am only to have to cut their swim short because they can no longer breath and swim since it is so freakin' hot in the pool. A pool should be kept at 80-82 degrees if you are going to be swimming laps in it, which is kind of the point of having a lap pool at the Y. If the kids can't handle it for 30 minutes in the afternoon, then they don't need to be swimming. I personally would like the pool to be 75 degrees, but understand that some people like it warm and will compromise at 82 degrees, but not 87. Forgot to fill out a complaint form, but rest assured I'll let them know about it this week. National swim organization says 79-82 is the optimum water temperature for competition swimming and the Chinese argued that it is actually 80.6 degrees which is what they kept the water temperature in the cube at the Olympics to promote world record times. Seems like they should know what they are talking about, but apparently they don't compared to the Aquatics director...
Looking forward to getting to Houston, watching LSU beat 'Bama, and then heading to the race on Sunday. Friends are taking me to lunch on Wednesday to wish me luck. Hoping my buddy who just completed Ironman Florida will come to offer some helpful tips from his experience this weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
