I just felt like running

New race in Hartselle.  Starting line is within 1/3 of a mile of the long standing Hartselle Depot Days race.   Jim Archulleta , RD, laid out the course and Jon Elmore completed the certification.  Its a fun course- nice residential streets, a few small hills, nice 3rd mile (slightly downhill most of the way).  It was so nice of a course in fact that I ran it four times!

This was my first short race in several years without a Garmin.  My 205 has always been the voice of reason in mile 1 telling me to slow down.  That being absent I was a little panicked when I crossed the mile mark in 5:00 which is 35 seconds faster than my mile PR.  Luckily it was just mismarked and I was probably more like 5:40.  I felt good and worked myself into 5th by mile 1.  On the climb out of the downtown on Railroad street, I took over fourth.  I was feeling good and really could have pushed this section a little harder.    Once I started thinking PR, it was a little too late and I ended up missing it by 4.5 seconds.  I looked back and I am back to my "racing" weight of 2006.  That is the year I set PR's in 5K,10K, 10Mile, and Marathon.    Dropping 10 lbs makes a big difference.  I'd be nice to drop another 5 by the RC Marathon but I'm not going to starve myself to do it.  That would put me at 160 lbs and 73" tall.

After the race, I reran the course (24:34) , ran the Depot Days Course (23:50 , uncertified), and finished with another run of the All Saints 5K course (24:21).

Sunday afternoon run pushing Elliott in the stroller.  Did the 3M River City Run course (www.rivercityrun.come) in reverse with some add-ons.   Elliott slept most of the way.  Nice day- around 70F.

Ran easy on the trails as warmup.  Did three 1/2 mile intervals at half marathon pace for mental preparation (75-90 seconds rest).  Came in at 3:12-3:14.    I'm shooting for 6:30 pace.  The intervals felt good - not easy but more like a comfortably hard stride.

Commuting on foot to work.

I'm so pleased with the time change.  Almost my entire morning run to work was in daylight.   listened to the latest This American Life via podcast - the halloween edition.  highlight was a very harrowing tale of a rural New Yorkers tussle with a rabid racoon.  Eye opening.   There was also a David Sedaris story about a medical examiners office which like most of his stuff is hilarious.

The chicken kill plant smelled especially disgusting this morning.  I normally tolerate it well and have somewhat pleasant flashbacks to my childhood but this morning I was glad to be free of the stench.

1:20 on the first leg.

Will leave early from work (worked 12 yesterday) to be able to vote this evening.  I'll be glued to CNN until the president is announced.

1:17 on the return trip.   Got in to vote at 5pm.  No line.   Only 1 other voter in the polling place.  5 people working there though.

Easy run on the trails at work. Didn't have a whole lot of time. Finished listening to a podcast of "Wait Wait Don't tell me." Funny.

Another easy day.  Didn't feel particularly strong but it got better about half way through.   Quite a warm day - 70's.

Cold and rainy at lunch so I ran on the treadmill at the fitness center.  My running mix on the ipod actually makes treadmill running somewhat tolerable.  Warmed up at 8:00/mile and finished at 6:35/mile.   saved myself a little for tomorrow.   I will be running a 5K dressed as a very famous chocolate milk celebrity.   I'm glad it is supposed to be 40F at the start.

I put a unique handicap on myself during this race.  I was given the opportunity to compete as the Nesquik Bunny    My mom was visiting from Wisconsin and put together a nice Smilebox slide show of the event (click link).   It was great fun.   Lots of people wanted pictures, kids followed me around, my daughter and nieces were thrilled.  It made for a unique day for many people which makes me happy.  

 The costume was built really well and they did the best they could to make it suitable for running.  I was glad it was only around 50F because even with that it got hot.  The head is pretty heavy so I'm expecting a sore neck by tomorrow although it feels ok.       The whole costume slowed me down by 30 seconds per mile on average.   My first mile was 6 minutes but the heat and the weight wore me down by the final mile.     I kept Mike Greene in my sights the entire time.  He said he was fully aware a bunny was 100 yards behind him and did not want to get beat by a bunny.  I told him he was a very good carrot.  I did the same for him last weekend when I beat him by 30 seconds.

Got out of the costume and cooled down on miles 18-21 of the Rocket city marathon course. 

Ran from home to the 3M River City Run course (10K).  Ran the course and then came back home for 2hrs of yardwork.   Took it pretty easy.  My quads were sore from yesterday.  

Trail run at work.  Felt good with a lot of spring my step.  Took it easy though as I'm doing the commute on foot again tomorrow.   listened to two hilarious songs from the Forgetting Sarah Marshall soundtrack   and then to some great French horn concertos (Strauss #1 and Mozart #1).   I played Horn for 6 yrs in Jr and Sr high.  I never could play the Strauss but its my favorite of the two.   once that was done, I followed it with some Moby and Jimmy Eat World.  Kind of an odd playlist.

Got an early start to work (5:10am).  Felt good.  I had a famous Big Bob Gibson pork potato the night before with some of their beans.  Well fueled.   Listened to a couple Prarie Home Companions and some ESPN talk radio.   Got to work in 1:14 (about average)  7:45 pace for 9.5 miles.  A light drizzle started us as I was badging in through the gate.

 My last return run was a bad bonk so I made an effort to fuel correctly.  Started with a quart of soy milk flavored with Nesquik (of course).  Chocolate clif bar.  Piece of Red Velvet Cake (Dennis's birthday,  thanks to Sidney for bringing the cake).  2 cans  ravioli (1000 cal).  Chocolate chip clif var (thanks Sidney) an hour before my run.  Lots of coffee and water too.

I started out of the gate toward home fast and didn't let up.  Without the Garmin, I ended up running faster than I would have.  I just let my music and how I felt dictate the pace.   Had to come to a stop 10 times or so for traffic but never more than a second or two.  I was running on fumes by the time I got home and I clocked in at 1:02:47 for the 9.5 miles.  6:36 average pace.    By far the fastest commute home from work yet.   With the stops factored in, I was pretty close to race 15K pace.    I felt great and it was a great pre marathon workout.

Easy run on the trails at work.  Calves tight from yesterday.

took the day off.  Calves still tight.

Chilly and windy day.  Had quite a bit of rain last night.  I scrapped plans for running the trails at MonteSano out of self preservation.  I'll have 50K on the trails over there next weekend (Dizzy Fifties) so I'll leave the head first falls and sprained ankles for then.    Instead , I ran from home over to point mallard and then did the out and back on the hiking trail there.  There was a big youth  soccer tournament going on.  Lots of excited kids and cold parents.    I felt good.  No calve soreness.

One thing I claim to be good at is tapering.  I do it to excess sometimes.  

all I wanted to do today was to get out and clear my head  and warm up my legs enough for a good stretch.

dizzy fifities  (50k trail) on Saturday 

It was a cold morning - 24F-  so I decided to sleep in a little before the race.  My thought was why hang out at the race start shivering for an hour before the race when I can hit the snooze in a warm soft bed.  I left a little after 5:30am for the 7am start.  I needed caffeine so I stopped at the Huntsville 5 points Hardees and got a sausage biscuit.  As I drove the 5 miles up to Monte Sano State Park a bad feeling crept into my head.   "I don't think the race starts at 7am!"  I pushed the accelerator as s snaked up the curvy road.  I pulled into the parking lot at 6:29 and glanced up the road to see 100 runners getting their pre-race briefing and then the race started (right on time- 6:30am).  I scrambed to tie my shoes, take off my sweatshirt, get my water bottle (empty), and then run the 100 yards to the start line were John Nevels got my race number.  Then I ran back to my car and struggled with cold fingers to get the number attached to my race belt.  I was off with maybe a 4 minute delay. 

The course starts out with a short out and back before 3 repeats of a figure eight which has the aid station at the center of the 8.   I didn't know the out and back too well and got off course .  The trail I was on disappeared and I back tracked.  By that point I was disoriented and flustered.   I eventually found the course and got going.

I was running mad for the first 10 miles which helps in the adrelaline department.  I slowly moved up in the standings and tried to stay within myself.   The course is 98% trails- beautiful.  There are some rocks, roots, etc. and a couple very technical descents and steep climbs.   True to my poor trail running skills - I fell 4 times and mildly turned my ankles 3 times.  Luckily I had running pants with gloves so the falls didn't draw much blood.  Most of my falls are of the headfirst variety.    In the final lap, I was about to enter a narrow section of trail cut in the edge of a very steep hill with lots of rocks. I out loud told my self "Game on!" as a way to concentrate on the trail to avoid falling.  Not 1 second later, my right leg slide to the left and I was down on my right hip and elbow.  It made me chuckle once I realized I could continue.

I stayed strong and kept passing people here and there.  I don't remember getting passed-  starting dead last has that effect.

I pushed the last 5 miles hard and found I had a good bit left.  I passed Marty Clarke with about 3 miles to go and ended up beating him by 10 minutes.  

The post race meal had banana pudding so I was a happy camper.

I may have been able to get into fourth place if I actually got to the start line on time but I'm not disappointed in the least.  I was pleased with my conditioning and enjoyed the challenge.  I'm excited about the prospects of a strong marathon.

My normal tuesday after a long race recovery jog.  This week i probably could have run on monday but by tuesday I was pretty much pain free.  Good to get out and stretch my legs.

I once ran the Atlanta Marathon on thanksgiving morning and remembered the great appetite I worked up.  This wasn't in that ball park but it was a great run.  The weather has turned warm (60F) and sunny with a little breeze.  Pushed Elliott at Wilson Morgan park while listening to music.  Got 7 laps in.   My son was very content and slept most of the way.  I didn't think at all about pace.

Fueled by a big thanksging meal and one lunch of leftovers, i had alot of spring in my step today.  Did several extended pushes at a little better than 5K pace.

Early morning long run on the Rocket City Marathon course.  Felt good.  The mile markers are very easy to see (painted on the road) so I did 4 test miles to see if I could hone in on marathon pace by feel.   I undershot in all cases.  6:45/mile is my target and I did 6:40, 6:17, 6:24, 6:25.   I was shooting for comfortably hard so I feel good that this was faster than I need to run.  Maybe my target is too low.    At the end of my run, my right ankle started to hurt.  Remnants from the Dizzy Fifties last weekend.