CIM 2008 Race Report

The 2008 California International Marathon has come and gone. It was definitely a great race. The weather really couldn't have been any better, maybe just a little warmer, but really it was a perfect day for a run.

The morning started early, around 3am for me...it was the anxiety I guess:). We carpooled to the start line with our friends Jeff Black and Troy Doehrer. This was Troy's and Kendra's first marathon, and Jeff was splitting the race with his wife Michelle. Troy's wife Kristy was also running the last half with him.

We got to the start line at about 6:10 a.m. and it was already packed. After a nice warm-up and requisite stop to the port-a-potty, we were ready. If you've never run a marathon before, it is pretty much a free-for-all when it comes to using the bathroom. I told Troy and Jeff don't be surprised to see many runners, men and women alike, just squat in the bushes, behind a rock, up against a tree and do what they do. Alas, I was prophetic.

I took off with the 3:10 pace group with a strategy to run in between them and the 3:15 pace group. My splits ranged from 7:22-7:29 per mile. I was exactly where I needed to be. The crowds were great at every juncture where you needed support.

At mile 18 things turned, literally, in my stomach. I wasn’t able to drink water or supplements, nor eat any Gu for fear of leaving it on the course. I’m not sure what caused it because I alternated H2O and sports drink at each interval and I ate my Gu pretty much on schedule, with the exception of missing one by 15 minutes.

At mile 21, I felt my pace become more challenging to hold. The 3:15 group hadn’t caught me yet but I knew they were close. At mile 22 is when I ran out of gas. 3:15 caught me shortly thereafter as I struggled. I walked for about 200 meters and then started to “run” again…if you call a +10 minute split running. I ran to mile 23 and then walked again for probably at least another 200 meters. I again started to run and committed to do so all the way to the finish.

Each step was increasingly difficult. The pain was shooting through my quads but I just kept praying to God to allow me to take one more step. I tried to get a Gu down somewhere between 23 and 24, but could only take one taste before making me feel worse. Getting through the next 3 miles was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I kept thinking about the competitors I’ve seen in races where they are collapsing everywhere, losing bodily functions and still fighting to cross the line, even at a crawl. I just asked God to not let that happen to me. As I rounded the final corner headed to the finish shoot, I saw my two daughters and Kendra’s parents. Thank God, because just seeing my two little angels’ faces was enough for me to get me across the line. 3:39, a new PR.

It was over, thank God.

I was able to see Kendra and my sister finish. Kendra kicked some serious butt! She finished her first marathon in 3:59! Way to break the 4-hour mark! My sister just ran for fun since she is still nursing a major injury. She ran in costume and she finished in 3:58, which is incredible considering what she is going through. She did not suffer any additional damage which was great.

Troy finished in 4:30; and both Jeff and Michelle PRd in their half-marathon times.

Here are some pics from race day, enjoy! Thanks again for all your kind words, thoughts and prayers! Keep on running:D

Just running

The running is going very well...thank you God! I hammered out an almost 21-miler last Sunday. I averaged 8:05 splits in hills which I am happy about. My first run after the long run on Sunday was Tuesday. It was supposed to be an easy-paced run of 7 miles, no faster than 8:08. I felt great and decided to play with the gas peddle a little bit. I averaged 6:51 splits. Yowza. I was very surprised especially considering that I ran 21 miles only two days before.

I've got two more 20+ milers before the CIM and God willing I will remain healthy.

Speaking of healthy, I'm not sure how many check this blog...likely only a few, but if you do happen to stumble upon it, please say a little prayer for my sister Glorybelle. Nothing major...just a little prayer on having her ankle heal quickly so she can get back on the road. While I am at it, add a little prayer for my other sister Maxe who just moved from the house she "thought" she sold, only for the buyer to back out! Maxe, we pray for you often, just wanted you to know!!

Just for fun, a group of friends of ours asked Kendra and I to partake in a Nike+ running challenge. We both said, "Sure, why not..." knowing that we'd be ramping mileage for the CIM. Anyway...it's been fun especially seeing the reactions of the group when they see these double digit runs downloading into the challenge log. It's pretty close so far. The challenge ends on November 10th.

Also mostly everyone that ran the San Jose RnR Half with us have signed up to run the CIM. Some are splitting the marathon (relay) and others are running the full. I am very excited to see how our friends have taken to running in road races! They really enjoyed the RnR and I have no doubt that they will enjoy the CIM.

Here are some of my goofy pics from the RnR. As I finished the race I leaned at the "tape" in honor of Usain Bolt. As GB said it, I am a "Goofball!" No lying there.

Enjoy, run strong and may God give you the strength to take another step!

San Jose Rock and Roll Half!

First off, I haven’t downloaded any pics yet of the San Jose Rock and Roll Half Marathon, so I’ll add those later.

A group of six of us drove down to San Jose to meet up with two other friends/runners and my sister GB. This was the first half-marathon for 5 in the group so the excitement and nervousness level was high, but good.

Upon arrival, we met up with one of my old high school friends Jon Mikelonis. I hadn’t seen Jon in about 15 years. I prodded him to run this race. He was managing to run no more than 3-4 miles maximum just a few months ago, and not only did he finish his first 13.1 miler, but he did it in a time of 1hr 44mins. That is a great time, first-timer or not, for a half! I talked with Jon after and he sounded fresh, thankful and proud, especially since his wife and two young sons got to see him cross the line! I am trying to get him to go the full 26.2 miles in December at the CIM. If you know Jon, please tell him congrats. It was great seeing you Jon and meeting your beautiful family. Two other friends from high school also ran the race, Andrew Adamson and Dave Pernez. Both of those guys did great…and hats off to Andrew for deciding to run only a few days prior.

For Kendra, I and GB, this run was in the middle of our training for the CIM. Thankfully we all finished, even with questionable health…which I’ll explain in a few, but first, Kendra did great. Her running has also come a long way. I remember when she ran her first mile with me, she was not happy at all. Now look at her, she runs 1hr 52mins and is ramping for the CIM! Great job honey! She is definitely a runner now. Now, back to that questionable health; my sis GB had an allergic reaction to something she ate the night before. It was such a bad reaction that she went into anaphylactic shock during the race! BUT…she is ok now.

So…I am running with my sister for the first time in her current running shape. Now for those of you who don’t know my sister, she is an incredible runner! Her PR in the half is 1hr 29mins and in the full is 3hrs 17mins. But those were before her being in the running shape she is in today. Before anaphylactic shock took its grip on her, we were rolling through the first 10+ miles at a 6:55 minute pace. Which for me was freakin’ A fast! A few times during those 10+ miles my sister just let it roll…..and let me just say that her top gear is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! She pulled away from me (remember we were already at a 6:55 pace) like I was standing still, no exaggeration. It was impressive and awe inspiring. Just when I thought she would drop the hammer like an AMG coming off the line, she would slow up a bit. She’d test her engine, pull away and then slow up. This was obviously because of the reaction she was feeling. Her poor blood cells were probably pumping out more white blood cells to fight the reaction, instead of the much needed red ones to make it through the race.

This is the incredible part, even though her body was shutting down, she still managed a 1:32!! Only 3 minutes off her PR. After the race her airway was getting tight, thank God benadryl did its job. As I mentioned earlier, she is fine and resting at home.

Running with my sis was an all-time experience! On my way to finishing the race she helped me PR my 10k and 12k. We held that 6:55 minute pace pretty steady, maybe varied by 3 seconds here and there. We met up with one of her training partners, Larry, at mile 7. He was running this as a workout, fyi, his half-marathon PR is something like 1hrs 10mins!

At just under mile 11, my sister tells Larry and I to go…actually she tells Larry something like this, Larry, not feeling it today, take my brother in, he wants to go sub 1:30…(meaning finish below 1hr 30 mins). So Larry looks at his Garmin watch, looks at me and says, “We have to go 6:15 to catch that time, can you go 6:15? (6min 15 sec mile splits). After the initial thought of, “Are you F^&*ING kidding me!” I say, sure thing, or I’ll die trying.

We make it through M11 – 12.5 at that time. We are now 15-20 yards behind the 1:30 pacer. Just at that time my right side cramps. It hurts, but I battle through. At mile 13, the pace group is about 75 yards in front of me. I have .1 mile left and by the grace of God I can feel the cramp subside. But my legs are burning, feeling pain shoot through my feet, Achilles, calves, hamstrings and gluteus. I stay loose and I start reeling in the 1:30 group. I can see them coming closer, 50 yards, 40 yards, 30 yards, 30, 30, 30…I can see the finish ahead…and then BAM! I see the group go 35 yards ahead, 40, 50, 60, 70, I can’t turnover fast enough. With about 100 yards to go I know I can’t catch them.

The great thing is since I am just behind the 1:30 pace group, there is no one behind me. I am running down the finishing shoot amidst thousands of cheering fans waiving my arms up and down, trying to get the crowd pumped up. Did they ever respond, the crowd, starts cheering like crazy! I’m having fun, they are powering me up and I am forgetting the pain! Now I’m taking it all in, goofing off like crazy. As I break the finish line, I do my Usain Bolt impression and lean for the tape…I look at the clock and see the finish time of 1hr 30mins 34 seconds! I PRd by eight minutes! It was incredible. Thank God and the Virgin Mother. I asked them for strength, and once again, they delivered.

Kendra also PRd; and I am happy that GB is feeling better too. One last thought as I was crossing the line, “I have a lot of work to do before the CIM in December!” It was a wonderfully blessed day.

In health and run strong! GO GB!

Stride modification

First off, this week has been fun...Kendra went to a running clinic and I went to a nutritional seminar for distance running. So we've got a bunch of new info. Here are some of the things I am trying with my stride. I'll share some nutritional info later.

Keep in mind that I am leaving out the basic fundamentals of a good running stride so the assumption is that one is already in place. These are the slight changes I made. When done alone, without an already properly aligned running gate, these adjustment could very well cause you to face plant, not kidding. And all this is very high level, reach out to me if you'd like more detail.

1 - 2 inch increased forward lean, can increase as much as 2 more inches depending on speed desired. Full body is leaning, not just from hips or mid-torso. Body is still aligned, just leaning slightly forward. Keying on gravity to pull me forward as opposed to the push of my legs.

Heels slightly higher through back and knees lower in front. This was/is hard for me because I was basically trained as a sprinter through college.

Less rigid lower legs, feet land aligned under me, not in front. Due to relaxed lower leg and low knee lift, foot barely clears ankle. Foot strike is (more) quiet.

Chin in neutral position, arms swing no more than forearm length and stay at 90 degree angle. Slight inward/outward motion is natural.

How this feels to me:
Feels like someone is pulling me forward from my mid torso.
Knees, hips, ankles, lower back feel incredibly better due to less impact (not lifting knee as high).
Cadence feels faster.
Calves are little more soar, but all the bones are good to go.
Ran 13.2 yesterday and my body felt like it only ran 8-9. That's a great thing! My average split was 7:47.

I've also modified my diet...but I'll add that in a different post.

Stay healthy!

It's feeling nice outside

The weather outside is the reason why I call NorCal home. It's a beautiful 68 degrees and it's just shy of noon. Love it. Needless to say, it's the perfect weather for a run.

After traveling for business last week, I was able to get somewhat back in the groove of things. Last Sunday, I enjoyed a 16-miler. The first 6.4 miles @ 7:48 splits; next 7.5 miles @ 7:25 splits; last 2.1 miles @ recovery 8+ min. splits.

I ran 5 this morning...You know, I love the Nike +...but that darn thing is not accurate. It was off by 1/4 of a mile, which in a short 3-miler is a big deal. So here is how it truly went...
M1 - warm up at 8:11 pace
M2, 3, 4 - Tempo at 6:33 pace
M 5+ - cool down at 8:50 pace.

I am so thankful to God for my health and that my body is holding up. I must give proper respect to my foam roller. Without that thing, I would be very sore after each and every run. Kendra also showed me a better way to roll my IT band...First off, rolling that band freakin' hurts! But it feels so good afterward. My quads are so tight...the roller has helped immensely and I would recommend that everyone try it.

I've got the San Jose Half coming up and if things go well, I will hopefully be finishing in around 1:30. Stay healthy and happy everyone! And by the way, great job to all my friends on Facebook that have been increasing their running!!

Renewed!

Battling of achilles bursitis, somewhat in check. Thankfully it is not bugging me like before. That was big worry for me, but so far so good.

After all the weeks/months of just running to log those miles, this week is my first week of targeted marathon training, and so far so good.

I ran 10.5 mi. earlier this week and avg. 8:13 splits. This was after the first 3.1 a 9:02 pace. The last 7.4 were at 7:52 splits.

I ran 5 miles this morning:
Mile 1 - warm up @ 9:10 split;
Miles 2-4 @ tempo in 20:07, 6:42 splits, needed to be at 6:54 splits, a little too fast;
Mile 5 - cool down 9:22 split.

I felt great, hopefull that'll continue. Hope everyone else is doing great!

A little worried...

I've been dealing with this achilles bursitis thing that I've mentioned in previous posts. For a while it was absolutely killing me, I'd feel pain pulsating with my heartbeat on and under my heel while just sitting down...doing nothing. I did not run for two weeks, and the pain stayed with me. I then ran almost 10 miles, felt ok after the first mile, but then afterward, not so good. All my thoughts during the two week lay-off and especially after that last 10-miler were that I wouldn't be able to run with my sister in the CIM this December. My fitness level is probably at an all-time high, so I was emotionally torn up! I didn't want to let my sister down, nor myself. I really can't wait to run this thing in December. I kept thinking, how in the heck is this one bursa sac kicking my butt???

I've hopefully found a cure in the Strassburg Sock. I've only used it the last 2 nights, but when I've awoken, the pain was gone. I feel a little tinge, but no pain unlike every previous morning. It's kind of freaking me out not feeling it, because I've been so use to feeling it every morning. Anyway, God will hopefully keep me healthy enough (mentally and physically) to get past this little hitch in my giddy-up.

Just to report, on the almost 10-miler, I cruised it at 8:34 average splits. My strength felt good even after two weeks off. Thankfully the heel pain subsided after that first mile.

Last thought, Go USA. The Olympics have been incredible.

Trying to log those miles

The smoke is back blanketing the NorCal valley, so it gets tough in trying to get the miles done. Over the 4th we headed up to our cabin for a respite from the heat. It was in the 40s in the morning and heated up to the mid-80s. Perfect weather. We also got three days of wakeboarding in! and we were joined by 4 other families, with whom we spend the majority of our weekends with anyway due to all of our kids play soccer together. It was a lot of fun.

I decided to go for a little 5k run at 5,500 ft elevation. I was going to hammer out a 10k, but some friends decided to join me and I didn't want to leave them alone on a course that they never ran so we all ran the 5k together. Basically it was an uphill bomber, out and back. My friends were saying that they've never run a hill like that before, but were very excited to finish it. They ran/walked but finished, which is what counts!

I had a killer fitness workout on Monday, just a total burner doing 4 sets of three exercises each for my chest, and back, with at least 12 reps; finished with a doozy ab workout, hanging leg lifts with ROM of knees hitting elbows, 4 sets of 12-15 each. If you haven't tried these, I highly recommend it. Followed by a good stretch. Today I needed a run but the smoke was choking. So I ran a 10k on the treadmill at the gym. I can't stand running on the treadmill. I did the Alpine course and kept playing with the grades and speed, even hitting 15% grade for a minute or too at 8+ mph. That's is when lactic acid pretty much took over and it forced me back to a 7% grade at about 4.5 mph. Once the legs got "breathing" again, I kept on hitting them arrows. The good thing is that I ran the 10k in just over 49 minutes. It would have been nice to finish it around 45 minutes, but I messed up the programming on the speed and it started the build up too slow.

I hope the smoke clears soon so that I can get back out on the road. I also hope all the firefighters are safe out there, brother and brother-in-law included!

And he ran so fast that smoke trails came out of his shoes

Oh wait, that's because it's freakin' smokey outside due to all the wildfires in NorCal. In case you haven't seen the news, pretty much all of the upper central valley has been socked in with smoke. In the last week or so, I could always see the smoke, but the smell of the smoke was never that bad, if non-existant during the morning. However, today it was bad. Last night I was able to see a clear picture of the nighttime sky, so I thought the prevailing winds would finish the job today and push the smoke out, but alas, it did not happen. I headed to the gym today and hammered out a nice workout. It took all the motivation I had to get myself there. At about 7am I was trying really hard to talk myself out of going, but it didn't work! My other personality talked me into going.

Two days ago I took advantage of the nice morning weather and ran 10.5 miles. I cruised...literally. I felt like a Cadillac in no hurry to get anywhere. I was just taking in the scenery. I cruised my way to about a 9:34 mile pace...no wonder it barely felt like I was working. I was going to add in a 5k loop at the end but just plain ran out of time. It was nice to know that I had a lot left in the tank. My body felt like it had about 85% left. I'll take this as a minor victory because my running has been slacking lately. Only due to me choosing to go wakeboarding instead. The day prior to that I swam for 35 minutes straight and that was also a killer workout. I don't swim enough, but I should do it more.

I didn't share this in the last post, but I took 3 dingers the other night wakeboarding. The first one caught me by surprise so my body was still a little more relaxed. Just after I landed after clearing the wake, I got too forward on the board and pulled a face plant. It felt like I got slapped by a paddle. The 2nd one hurt! I felt this fall coming and so I tensed up a little. I landed right-ear first and immediately it turned red. Not only did I get a slight case of cauliflower ear, but I hit so hard that it kickstarted a migraine headache. Migraine and no meds = no fun.

Well, after my sight came back I decided to go out a 3rd time. One could argue, why? However my thought was this...I read many articles about migraines and I remember a few of them saying that if you could increase blood flow it would minimize the headache...knowing that whether I took another run or not, a killer headache would ensue, I said why not! The ride was going great, clearing the wake again...again...again... and then BLAMMO! I took a backside digger and landed on the back of my head. It hurt so bad that I ended up getting a straightline bruise on the back of my head due to where the water line and my noggin first hit. So yes, I will wear a helmet for now on (I always wear one when snowboarding) but for the first time in my life of migraines, my headache was not that bad and I didn't get nauseous. So, I think the increase blood flow thing is legit...if only I hadn't fell that 3rd time.

Lastly...how about them Fresno State Bulldogs!?!?! Winning the NCAA Baseball College World Series. I couldn't be more happy for my alma mater. Go Dogs!

In health.

Running?

Is that what I planned on doing last week?? Last week was a baaaaaaad running and overall fitness week for me. I only went to the gym 2X, ran once, and wakeboarded 2X. Actually, I probably shouldn't have gone twice, but how can one resist the invite to hit the wake! Each run on the water leaves me feeling like I just ran quarters anyway, so maybe it wasn't all that bad.

I also spent two full days with windshield time, driving to the Bay Area for some business meetings. Afterall, I still work and need to fund the running shoe and athletic wear fix that I share with my entire family! My one run of the week was to the rental car place, which was only about 3.3 miles from the house. I covered it in about 25 minutes or so, it was just a nice little cruiser.

My body was stiff! It takes about a full mile at least for my body to relax and get that nice running tempo. But until that magical moment of fluidity hits, it feels like I am running on two axes and I am just chopping the ground. Not sure if anyone else feels that way. Literally, that first mile I always ask...what are you doing out here today!! You feel like crappola! BUT I know that all will be fine after that first 7-8 minutes. I am thinking about riding my spin bike for ten minutes before I run just so I can get loose.

Totally non-running related...this just in, my youngest daughter, who is 8yrs old, just one the "Little Miss" Queen of Placer County at the Placer County Fair. She was so excited, and she obviously really likes it. We are all very proud of her and I'll post some pics after I download them. It's pretty cool to see how different her and her sister are but how they both totally support each other.

Make all your days great running or fitness days! I'll be starting up the running program very soon aiming for the sub-3 finish at the CIM. I just need to make sure that I choose to run once or twice instead of wakeboarding!! That's gonna be hard!

One last thing, I read this proverb in the bible, Proverbs 16:3 "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." To me, this couldn't be written/spoken any more simply. It covers all aspects and challenges in life and running doesn't it? Amen I say to you!

Slacker (blogging that is!)

Man! It feels like it's been forever since I've blogged! I guess because in the instant gratification era of the digital world, three weeks is forever! I was recently debating two new pairs of running shoes...here me out on this first. Believe it or not, Nordstrom Rack sells some sweet motion control shoes. At least up in the Roseville, CA. area. If you time it right, you can have selections from Asics Duomax, Brooks Beast, Nike Equalon and about 4 different models of New Balance...all for about a 60% or more discount off retail...kid you not! Asics retail are $90, $39.99 there...Nike Equalon, $129 retail, $49.99 there.

Since I'm sharing this little tidbit of motion control heaven with you, I must also share with you that I am somewhat of a stupid guy, especially shopping. True story, the first few times I was shopping at the Rack for shoes, I was very excited to see the deals available, but I was so frustrated because....(ready for the stupid part???) I could only find the freakin' left shoe! Stupid me never realized that I had to go to the desk to ask for the MATCHING right shoe! Yes, it took me about 3 trips before my lovely bride told me "The Secret" of shopping for shoes at the Rack. Only after she laughed hilariously at me for a good 5-10 minutes. You must not share that story!

I digress...I brought home my tried and true Asics Duomax MC plus a pair I've never worn, Nike Equalon MC. I ended up returning the Asics! That's almost sacrilegious. For some reason the Asics have been feeling like bricks on the bottom of my feet and I think that is one reason why I've had some heel pain. I didn't have that pain in the Nikes. So I am no longer a Nike running-shoe virgin, so far so good. I'll tell you how they feel after 100 miles.

Speaking of running. Over the last 2+ weeks I've been running from 6-9 miles each time out. I am blessed to live in somewhat of a hilly area. Nothing major, but I have access to some climbs of 300 or so feet in less than 1/4 and 1/2 miles. That said, I'm really happy with my 10k times. The last few have all been well under 1 hour, which is cool. Yesterday though, I went for a run during lunch, in the heat (about 85). I had two nice size hills, both bigger than Beacon Hill in the Boston Marathon, and very similar in distance. The first mile cruised by in 7:33...I was pretty happy (Nikes feeling GREAT!). Miles 2 thru 3+ were hills. I rolled through the first mile of rollers nicely. Then the freakin' pitch came. I was able to hammer this but even while practicing every breathing tactic to keep making O2, I couldn't keep the lactic acid from attacking my hamstrings and gluteals. I was so tight at the top I almost had to walk, but didn't. After that, it was nice rollers, net drop, down to home. I finished averaging 7:42/mile for a rolling 10K, 48:54. I was very happy with that.

A few days prior to that I ran 9 miles. It was a little slower, finished at 1:15. I wore the Asics on this run, and my feet were hurting. There were some other runs in there too, but Dude! that was over two weeks ago, can't remember what I did:P.

I am logging around 20-25 miles per week, which is kind of where I want to be before I start kicking in the program for December.

The last few runs I wore the BodyBug, it's this thing that you wear around your upper arm and it counts calories burned. On the days I ran, my total calories burned was easily above 3,000, I think my highest was 3,800. Wow...you know what that means right? It means I GET TO EAT! and I like to eat! J/K kinda...I'm actually trying to eat better because I want to see how it makes me feel. Kendra read this great diet book, Eating Clean (and the sequal to it), there are some very easy to follow and good/good for you recipes in there. I recommend you read it too. I am still working out at the gym and each workout I am pushing my heart rate. I'll probably start to incorporate spin again...but after teaching spin for so long, it is very boring for me. I'd rather strap on the shoes and push my heart rate past 190 bpm that way. But I can't say enough about the low-impact a bike gives you, it is a good break from the pounding and I've been able to get my heart rate 200+bpm and not faint! That's definitely part of my plan...I need to keep increasing my anaerobic threshold because that will help me hammer my per mile splits and still stay aerobic. I can't wait for the day I can hit 165 bpm and still make O2...If I can do that and keep my mileage up, that 3hr mark will fall! I truly believe it.

I took a break from running today, worked out at the gym and then wake boarded after work. Sore! The water was glass on the Sacto River and only two other boats were out there. It was my first time boarding this summer and...yeah baby, was able to take it wake to wake on my first run! I had two more loooong runs, and worked on going fakey the last one. I got it, which was cool, but I felt like I had just run 400s, seriously. You can say it was a GREAT x-training day:D.

Back on the road tomorrow...or maybe I'll ride?? GOD BLESS and GOD SPEED!

Just catching up!

You gotta love weekends when you originally had plans, only for them to fall through and you end up just totally relaxing. This has been a major decompress 3-day weekend. The weather wasn't the hottest, even a little rain...but we spent time with great friends and that is all that really matters.

Last Friday I got a new tattoo across my upper back, the picture was just after it was finished, thus all the red skin. It's healing nicely. I love the fact that I am now carrying the cross on my back! He keeps me strong.


Last week was a good running week for me. I did a 10k in 47 minutes and then added a track workout a few days later. The track workout was a lot of fun because it brought back all sorts of old memories from when I ran track at Fresno State! I ran eight 400s with 60 seconds rest in between. Here are the splits.
#1 1:19
#2 1:22
#3 1:23
#4 1:26
#5 1:28
#6 1:25
#7 1:24
#8 1:22

I was thankful that I was able to stay pretty consistent and that the wheels did not come flying off the last two!

After the quarters, I ran ten 30yd hill repeats. The grade was probably right around 30 degrees. I was tapped when done and very happy to be finished!!

Today, being Memorial Day, Kendra and I ran the 7.4 mile loop. I was thinking I was going to do it 2X but decided not too, wasn't feeling it. We had a very mellow and enjoyable run nonetheless. It was a perfect way to celebrate our loved ones who are now in a better place:)

Keep on churnin'!

5k pics of my daughter!

I finally found her pics. Here she is on her way to a 25:14 finish (8:10 pace) in her first 5k!! YEAH!!

Oh, and I just had to share this pic of me and my honey. We'll celebrate our 14th anniversary this year:D Funny story, my wife ran a 5k loop the other day and she comes into the house after pushing her pace, she says, "Man, I was working hard. Too bad my 10-yr old would still kick my butt!" LOL. She is incredible, she was never a runner and 1.5 years ago she made a commitment to change it. Since then she has finished two halfs, and many local 5ks. She'll be gunning for her first marathon this December. I'm very proud of her!!

Craziness!

It's been wildly hot in the valley of Northern CA the last few days...so hot that 99 degrees was actually cool. For the first time this spring, I had to turn the solar down on the pool because 90 degree water just doesn't sound that refreshing. My family was swimming last night and after getting out of the water, it made 96 degree air temp seem cold...so my pool was so warm that it gave us the reverse effect of cooling down! That's funny!

I've been thinking about my sister, her friend Danny and my high school friend Mike because they ran the 50K Ohlone Trail run yesterday while the temps were north of 95! BRUTAL! I've only heard from them to know that they made it alive...and that it was incredibly difficult. But I am very proud of all three of them for gutting it out. Mike and and my sister GB both were the first male and female rookies to cross the line, so they took home Rookie of the Year honors! Way to go. As an ode to all the runners yesterday, I attempted to run a 10K in 104 degree heat yesterday...it was so freakin' hot that I only got through a 5K...I then swam laps for another 10-15 minutes (which in itself is a butt kicker for me!) I am glad I at least did that for all of them.

This morning I wanted to beat the heat, so I ran this course in my town that is used for a local 12K race. It's a fun little course with some nice rollers, nothing too crazy though. I last ran this course on race day in 53 minutes and change, but ran it today in 58:45. I was glad to run it sub-1 hour since temps were already in the high 70s - low 80s.

The killer thing...in a previous post I mentioned that my heel and the very back of my arch was sore...it was really sore today. I think I have achilles tendon bursitis (based on symptons I googled) and my plantar fascii is acting up too because of it. Unfortunately, I'll be needing a little rest, but I can still ride and swim! YeeHaw!

Hilly

I powered thru a 10.03 hilly run this morning. It was hot! I think that is why my calves felt it in the first 1.5 miles and I was praying that it wasn't a sign to come. I thankfully was able to get up two nice size hills (250 ft climb and about a 200 ft climb) before I went through the roller coaster. It's a stretch of the run that is almost two miles where it is up and down the entire stretch.

Basically from mile 2 to mile 6, you climb almost 400 ft in elevation. The biggest jump is miles 5 - 6 where the last 257 ft of climbing occurs. The good and bad part is that you see that last climb in its entirety when you are about 1/4 mile from it. Even with the calves not feeling so responsive, I was able to make my way up due to nice rythmic arm swings and leg turnover. I was thanking God!

After that, it is four miles of mostly downhill, albeit, slow downhills to the finish. There are some nice rollers near mile 10 just for the fun of it!

All in all, I felt pretty good considering I haven't had a double digit run in a few months now. It was a little slower than I wanted, but considering the heat, the amount of climbing and the lack of calf response, I am pretty happy!

Stats:
10.03 miles
1 hr 22 minutes time
8.10 pace
7.34 mph (all stats include my stops for the water fountain)
1361 calories burned!

Heres the map:

A couple of pics from the 5k a few weeks ago

I just found out that I won $50 for coming in 3rd in my age group, NICE!

Minor run

So this morning I was thinking that I would run a little 5 miler. Well at about the 2/3 mark, this cyclist passes me and I tell myself, if he goes straight (up the 333ft hill; 250 net gain) I will go straight too, and add another 1.2 to my run...thinking I would run a 10k then. He goes straight and I tell myself, "The decision is made, HAMMER TIME!" I felt great hitting this hill. The total length is almost a half mile. It's a nice easy downhill to the end. I thought I was running a 10K, but it ended up just a bit short. I was a little peeved. Oh well.

Time: 44:30
Distance: 5.93
Splits: 7:30
Multiple rollers, but highest climb: 250 ft.
Calories burned: 798! Not bad for 45 minutes of work.

To see the elevation gain, you'll have to click "full-screen mode" on the bottom.



My heel is bothering me a little bit. It's the very back end of the heel. It feels tender, like a bruise, but nothing is there. It's been that way for about a month. Any ideas??

It's nice to be able run again in my town as opposed to trying to run in LA. I'll tell you what though, I would love to attack some of those Hollywood Hills just behind UCLA. Next time I'm there, I will definitely.

Light track workout

I forgot to blog that last week I did a light track work out. I ran four 400 meter intervals and 2 300 meter intervals...and then ran out of time due to having to bring my daughter home from soccer practice. I did a 1:1 work to rest ratio.

Lap 1: 1:39, equal rest
Lap 2: 1:19, equal rest
Lap 3: 1:20, equal rest
Lap 4: 1:21, equal rest

first 300: 60 seconds, equal rest
2nd 300: 60 seconds, equal rest

I was taxed. It was a hammering 15-20 minute workout...talk about squeezing it in.

Traveling

Just a random share with you....
So I am traveling this week, within CA which is always nice. I'm staying in Hollywood. I'm on Beverly Blvd and Orlando, which is pretty much smack darn in the middle of all the hubbub. I'm actually right around the corner from Sushi Roku, and the Beverly Center...so for all you People or Us readers, you'll now of this spot. I'm also about 1/4 mile from The Ivy, and tomorrow, I'll be having dinner on Sunset Strip. I drove by the Beverly Hills hotel earlier today, love that hotel; but didn't get a chance to stop in and take in the charm. On a previous trip down here, I was blessed enough to enjoy the veranda while smoking a stogie and drinking a glass of port. Life is good. I've ran into my fair share of movie stars, it's always fun seeing them in their "regular" lives. All in all, it is fun, for a few days. I love visiting this place for work because I can get a taste of how crazy and different LA is while thanking God that I don't have to live in this rat race. The scary thing is that I pretty much know how to get around down here, without my GPS... I guess that means I've spent enough time down here. It's so funny though because when I do ask for directions, the locals have no idea where or what I am asking about...crazy.

I forgot to bring my running shoes, so I've only had a chance for a good calorie-burn fitness workout. I'm working out this week in a little gym on Beverly Blvd...it's hot as an oven, but it allows for a killer workout. Time is limited this week so I'm trying to fit in two workouts per session.

Monday:
Workout #1:
Four sets of 15 each for incline, flat and decline flys.
Four sets of 15 tricep pull and pushdowns
Four sets of 15 hanging leg/knee lifts, feet all the way up to vertical...ouch! Knee lifts the last 1.5 sets...stomach couldn't hang
Four sets of 15 side planks, raise and lower.

Workout #2:
4 sets of 15 repetition cycles each of front(15), lateral(15) and rear(15) deltoid raises, immediatly followed by 8-10 standing military presses

Tuesday:
Workout #1:
4 sets of 8-10 wide grip neutral wrist position pull-ups
4 sets of 8 pull-ups hanging from rope
4 sets of 10 lateral pulldowns with rope
3 sets of 10 standing bicep curls
3 sets of 10 standing hammer curls
2 sets of 10 each leg, bench high step-ups w/ 45lbs each hand...freakin' burner!

A ton of sweat and absolute anaerobic interval attained! I'm sleeping GREAT tonight. Can't wait to run though!!!

GODSPEED!

A 5K run w/ my daughter

I ran a 5k the Sunday before the Boston Marathon with my oldest daughter who is 10. She is the one that plays club soccer, where we are driving up and down CA. :) She met up with some other friends whose parents said that they would pay 'em $20 bucks if they ran sub-30. So obviously she hit me up with a similar proposition...I told her if she ran sub-27, i'd do something for her. Well, check out her time:
129 overall
5 F 1-14 (5th in age group...actually I think she was 2 or 3 because at least two boys were in the girls group)
25:14.5 chip time
25:18.0 gun time
0:03.5
8:10/M

So I ponied up a little with some greenbacks and also took her to yogurt, she was soooo happy. She then says, "Dad, can I run in more races?" I was like "Of course!" The only work I've done with her is on her sprinting and explosion, agility and plyo stuff, for soccer. And making sure her sprint stride is efficient. Her running, outside of soccer, is all her. She just loves it. My little one, she likes to run too, but she didn't want to do this race. After she heard about her sister, she was so proud of her, giving her a big hug. She also asked about running more races. My wife and I told them that any race they want to run, we'll do it. We are so blessed that we have kids who love these types of things and they don't even realize the foundation of health they are building.

I was very happy with my time. I know I am very blessed, and by the grace of God, He has given me some very good athletic abilities. It's knowing this that motivates me to want to push my training efforts for this coming CIM. I don't want to let it go to waste, the gifts that he's given me. I stay in shape as part of my lifestyle. Although I don't necessarily run all the time, maybe 2X/week (that's a stretch), I am still able to run up to a half-marathon distance. Some days I'll have ok speed, others are endurance days;) and as long as I have a good pair of motion stability shoes, it's all good.

At the start line I told myself, go for a PR, why not. Distance speed isn't necessarily my strength as I was a long and triple jumper in college. My PR from years ago is 19:50, but that was a decade ago. Anyway, I was close...here's how I finished up.
17th out of 831
37 age
3 M 35-39 (3rd in age group)
20:06.7 chip
20:10.0 gun
6:30/M

I'll take it! I'll post the pics once they are released. Enjoy the weekend, I am off to do yardwork!

I'm back!

After a long time away, I will start blogging again. First and foremost! Props go out to my sister http://www.sillylillie.blogspot.com/ for setting a new PR (3:17 and change) at the Boston Marathon. WAY TO GO!

I plan on keeping tabs on my fitness and running training as I get ready to run my 3rd CIM this December. It's been a few years since I last ran it, but I am looking forward to doing it again. I tend to get a little maniacal with my training so it will be fun to post my workouts and trade with others. My feeling is that you need to change your workouts in order for things to stay fresh and fun. Afterall, fitness should be a lifetime movement and it is definitely what keeps my family together and drives us (we're literally driving a lot because my oldest daughter is now playing club soccer, didn't realize how many miles we'd put on the sled:)). In health everyone!