Hey, I just checked out the Toledo Roadrunner's results for the Get Luckey 5K that Tammy and I ran two weeks ago and I DID get a PR by a second! Yep, that's right, I said one, 1, uno, second! Hey, a PR's a PR. My lungs were on fire and my heart about to burst at the end of that first mile so, I'll take it! Woot!
We're going to head down to Ottawa Park in Toledo to do a longish run this morning. It's chilly, probably about 20, and snowflurrying right now with moderate winds. Should make for a nice longish run around 6 to 7 miles. We are tired of running the same route up and down Lewis Avenue here. Change of scenary. Have a great weekend.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
What's Been Happening
A week ago Monday after the Get Luckey 5K, Tammy and I ran an easy long run of about 7 miles together. Both of us felt really good during and after the run. We both did a shorter run the following day and both of us had some leg pain. Given that, coupled with event filled days for the remainder of the week and weekend, we did not get any more runs in. We both got out this morning independently, I had some work to finish up before I could get out and she had to get her day going, and both felt ok as far as the leg pain went. We had yet another snowfall over the weekend so, the running was not easy and the shoulders of the road narrow. One thing that I learned very quickly as a new runner is that traffic is not accomodating whatsoever to pedestrians or bicyclists. Traffic laws must have changed in the couple of decades or so since I got my license. I know courtesies certainly have. I signed up for a 7K race (4.2 miles) on March 8th at Maumee Bay State Park. It's the "Wearin' of the Green 7K" put on by the Toledo Road Runners. Tammy cannot make that race as she will be working the Bedford Business Association Trade Fair so, I will be runnin' solo that morning. Have a blessed week.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Get Luckey 5K
Tammy and I headed down to Luckey, Ohio yesterday morning in some freshly fallen and falling snow for the "Get Luckey 5k" put on by the Toledo Roadrunners Club, which we just joined last month as a family. A friend just pointed out to me that every time I do a race there seems to be less than ideal weather. It really wasn't bad at all though. Though we didn't have a lot of miles built up prior to this race, I was fairly confident I could beat my 25:03 pr (personal record). This was the second year for this race and it was Valentine's Day themed with the women getting a 3 minute head start and men and women finishing in the same age group categories then with the first 8 finishers in each age group receiving a wine glass. We got really cute t-shirts (which I will photo and display on here in a later post) and cute ribbons.
It was about 30 degrees with light falling snow and light winds when the race started. Tammy was off first. Three minutes later, I was off. I went out entirely too fast with the crowd of very fast men and my first mile split was 7:36. I didn't even know I could run a seven and a half minute mile! When my Garmin beeped to let me know I had my first mile split and I looked, I knew I would be struggling in the next couple miles left. My plan was to have gone out at 8:00 minute pace and try to pick up at the end. I gased myself that first mile and tried to hang on into the second mile, but actually had to walk for about 30 seconds to catch my breath. I'm sure if I had my heart rate monitor on, my heart rate would have been red-lining around 180 - 190 bpm! Oops. Second mile split was 8:38 or something like that. I picked up in my last mile, caught up to Tammy with about a half mile left in the race and was shouting encouragement to her as I approached. I had a hard time catching her and was still trying to hold on to my pace.
We approached the last turn to the last quarter mile or so shortly after I passed her. I checked my Garmin and saw I was somewhere around 23:40 and was shooting for under 25:00 for the race. I starting picking up my pace till I heard a guy say 100 meters to the finish at which point I started sprinting with all I had left. I ended up finishing in 25:07, 8 seconds off my goal and 5 seconds off a pr. Tammy held off other runners and ended up finishing right behind me in 28:06, a 49 second pr for her! She had an awesome race and looked really good in the final leg as I approached her. I am so proud of her! We hung out for a bit post race, got some food, Tammy won some running socks as a door prize, and listened to the different catergory and age group winners and headed home. It was a great way to spend the morning, running a fun and good race, and an awesome way to spend the early part of my Valentine's Day with the woman that means more to me than anything! Thanks, Honey!
It was about 30 degrees with light falling snow and light winds when the race started. Tammy was off first. Three minutes later, I was off. I went out entirely too fast with the crowd of very fast men and my first mile split was 7:36. I didn't even know I could run a seven and a half minute mile! When my Garmin beeped to let me know I had my first mile split and I looked, I knew I would be struggling in the next couple miles left. My plan was to have gone out at 8:00 minute pace and try to pick up at the end. I gased myself that first mile and tried to hang on into the second mile, but actually had to walk for about 30 seconds to catch my breath. I'm sure if I had my heart rate monitor on, my heart rate would have been red-lining around 180 - 190 bpm! Oops. Second mile split was 8:38 or something like that. I picked up in my last mile, caught up to Tammy with about a half mile left in the race and was shouting encouragement to her as I approached. I had a hard time catching her and was still trying to hold on to my pace.
We approached the last turn to the last quarter mile or so shortly after I passed her. I checked my Garmin and saw I was somewhere around 23:40 and was shooting for under 25:00 for the race. I starting picking up my pace till I heard a guy say 100 meters to the finish at which point I started sprinting with all I had left. I ended up finishing in 25:07, 8 seconds off my goal and 5 seconds off a pr. Tammy held off other runners and ended up finishing right behind me in 28:06, a 49 second pr for her! She had an awesome race and looked really good in the final leg as I approached her. I am so proud of her! We hung out for a bit post race, got some food, Tammy won some running socks as a door prize, and listened to the different catergory and age group winners and headed home. It was a great way to spend the morning, running a fun and good race, and an awesome way to spend the early part of my Valentine's Day with the woman that means more to me than anything! Thanks, Honey!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Rain Run
It was supposed to get super-duper windy this afternoon so, I cut out of working for a bit early around 9:30 to get a 5 miler in before the gales arrived. It was rainy and slightly windy, but nothing what they had been forecasting yet. I've been doing ok, I still have discomfort in my right lower leg when I run at times, but it isn't getting worse or disabling me like after the marathon. Tammy got out this evening when she got home from work and it had been pouring! I wish I woulda got a pic of her. We're slowly building miles and will start increasing long runs on the weekends. This weekend will be 6 miles, probably on Sunday since we have a 5K race on Saturday - The Get Luckey 5K in Luckey, Ohio. So appropriate for Valentine's Day, running a race with my honey. She (all the women in the race) gets a 3 minute head start so, I will have to see if I can catch up to her. Oh, the best part about todays run... it was 52 degrees!! Woot!!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Above Freezing!
Given we've been experiencing actual temperatures dipping down into the negatives overnight with highs during the day in the single or low double digits, today's sunshine and 32 degree temps were a welcomed sign of things to come and, the first above freezing run I have had in about 2 1/2 months. It's been a bear of a winter with the brutal temperatures and excessive amount of snowfall - second snowiest January on record just below January of 1978 - aka "The Blizzard of '78".
I will get 4 runs in this week, which is the most consistency I have had in several weeks. Tamm and I are working on that so we can start building up our mileage. For those of you that do not know, we will be running our first half marathons together on May 23rd in Traverse City, The Bayshore Half Marathon. There are a number of people from RunningAHEAD, the online running community and log I utilize, that will be participating in either the half or full marathons as well so, we will get the opportunity to meet a number of them and hang out. It should be a great time hanging out with a bunch of sadistic, mental folks like ourselves. :D
Lindsey got to play in her first basketball games of the season this week. She had been injured for the first 4 or so. She's done well so far and is playing with greated assertiveness and confidence this year. Her team only has 1 loss so far this season. They went undefeated last year, so they were a little disappointed, but they will still end up having a great season. They're so fun to watch. Have a great weekend everyone and, if you are in the midwest area, enjoy the reprieve on the winter weather we are supposed to have in the coming week!
I will get 4 runs in this week, which is the most consistency I have had in several weeks. Tamm and I are working on that so we can start building up our mileage. For those of you that do not know, we will be running our first half marathons together on May 23rd in Traverse City, The Bayshore Half Marathon. There are a number of people from RunningAHEAD, the online running community and log I utilize, that will be participating in either the half or full marathons as well so, we will get the opportunity to meet a number of them and hang out. It should be a great time hanging out with a bunch of sadistic, mental folks like ourselves. :D
Lindsey got to play in her first basketball games of the season this week. She had been injured for the first 4 or so. She's done well so far and is playing with greated assertiveness and confidence this year. Her team only has 1 loss so far this season. They went undefeated last year, so they were a little disappointed, but they will still end up having a great season. They're so fun to watch. Have a great weekend everyone and, if you are in the midwest area, enjoy the reprieve on the winter weather we are supposed to have in the coming week!
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