Week in Review

Total Distance: 39.21 mi.
Dedicated Time: 05:05:45 h:m:s.

The mileage was a bit more respectable this week, and I got in a really good workout. The long run wasn't bad, either, despite the agony of the heat once again. I figured out that there is nothing wrong with Running Buddy - I had left it hooked to my computer all day last week and turned the computer off. Normally I leave it on during the day, so it didn't cross my mind that the watch wouldn't be charged. So that takes care of that.

There's another problem, however: my latest pair of shoes - the Brooks Ghost - are beginning to tap out. I know, I know, I know.... I probably just need to quit trying to find a brand that works and just go back to what did work - Nike. To clarify, these shoes aren't wearing down yet - although they will be before long - they are really just starting to beat up my feet. I'm tired of waking up with stiff ankles every day.

Long Run - Fast Finish?

Distance: 10.88 mi.
Time: 01:23:30 - 7:39 ppm.
Running Buddy

Today I was supposed to do 10-11 miles "with a fast finish." I started around 7:30 from near Park Road shopping center, ran down Park, through some neighborhoods, up a few hills, and found myself on South Boulevard. I looped around back there in the South End area before coming through the south side of downtown and heading towards the Little Sugar Creek greenway. I got in a groove of 7:28 pace (or so) and soon came to regret it.

I ran through the park and back up towards Selwyn Avenue. From here, I would take Park back to Seneca and I would be done. The fast finish idea was slowly going out the window. I felt I was hanging on as this was yet another disgustingly muggy day. When I turned on Seneca, I found life, and sprinted up the hill, ensuring that my last hill was at least my fastest, if not actually marathon goal pace as directed. Oh well. Whoever wrote my plan left out the part about adjusting pace expectations for the heat and humidity.

Tempo Trouble

Distance: 8.00 mi.
Time: ????

Today, I set off for McAlpine in an attempt to do the second workout I had scheduled for this week: a tempo run. The plan called for 2 miles at marathon goal pace (7:10 or so), 3 miles at tempo pace (6:40-ish) and 2 miles at MGP again. I was unable to find a friend today so I'd be doing it solo.

I set off down the greenway, planning to run the first mile easy, when my Garmin started beeping to say the battery was dead. I know I had it hooked up to my computer and that it told me it was recharged, so I feared something may be wrong with it. Either that or I just needed to make sure I used outlet power from here on out? Either way, it wouldn't do me any good today. I don't need to know the distances at McAlpine, because they're marked (and at this point I just know where all the markers would be, anyway) but it would have helped to know my time.

As a result of the naked left wrist, I started off a bit too fast and it wasn't long before I faded. I can run 7:10 pace without too much effort, especially at the beginning of a run, and I failed to take this into consideration as I went sailing down the greenway. I got to the fast portion of my workout and picked up the pace some. I passed Mike Beigay, Megan Hovis, and Bill Shires at one point. I later passed Ben Hovis on his bike. By the time I got down with the fast portion of the tempo, I was finished. I just took a breather and slowly jogged back to my car.

It's time to figure out what, if anything, is wrong with Running Buddy. I have gotten to where I don't rely on it too much during the actual run, but I am a sucker for that data.

45-60 Minutes Easy

Distance: 6.77 mi.
Time: 00:53:24 - 7:53 ppm.
Running Buddy

I've done the runs I was supposed to do this week, for the most part, just bass-ackwards as far as what days. Today, for instance, was supposed to be a rest day, but I already had two of those this week so I did what I had scheduled for tomorrow: 45-60 minutes easy. I've never really thought about running for time instead of distance, but it works for me, especially on an easy day. Running Buddy was working just fine today as I ambled up Randolph, down Wendover, across Providence and through the Myers Park roads before coming back home. I felt like crap, though. I didn't get out of bed early enough and suffered in the heat.

Midday Scorcher

Distance: 5.60 miles.
Time: ????
Running Buddy n/a

My Garmin didn't work today, so I don't have my time, pace, or a map. I ran my Freedom Park route so I'm sure of the mileage, though, and I must admit I felt a bit liberated without a watch (not to mention lighter - the 305 is a huge watch). It surely was hot today, though, and I just wanted to get done so I could drown myself in Gatorade. There isn't much else to report here. 

Speed Loop Miles

Warmup - 1.35 mi in 00:11:39 - 8:39 ppm.
Workout - 4 x Mile with 2:30 rest. Splits: 6:18 (2:30), 6:17 (2:30), 6:17 (2:30), 6:17 (2:30).
Cooldown - 2.03 mi in 00:18:43 - 9:12 ppm.

This was one of the best workouts I've had in awhile. I failed to adjust for the heat and humidity, but it did not seem to matter. Sometimes, the legs just feel good.

I was supposed to do what my plan titled "cruise pace," defined as better than tempo pace but not quite 5k pace. My target was 6:19 per mile, so as you see above I was just ahead of that and remarkably consistent.

I started from the Dowd and warmed up to the Speed Loop. I tried to start off a tad quick on purpose in order to bank the time and...cruise to the finish. After my first interval I stopped at Rebecca Thomason's house to get some water from her porch. The next two went fine; it certainly wasn't easy but I didn't feel like I was pushing nearly as hard as I could. By the time I got to the fourth and final repeat, however, I was a little winded. I started off slower and then realized I was going to have to start hauling ass to hit my target time. I did that, despite having to run the uphill portion of the loop (Worthington Avenue) near the finish. Again, my splits were remarkably consistent. I gathered my bearings for a bit, stopping once again at Rebecca's porch, this time to mix up some cranberry juice. There is a special place in heaven reserved for that woman.

I trotted back to the Dowd and chatted some with A.J., who had just finished his own run. He gave me some pointers about strategy and pace and what he thought I could accomplish at Thunder Road, which I appreciated, but for now I just want to put in the work and stay healthy.

Week in Review

Total Distance: 33.36 mi
Dedicated Time: 04:22:26 h:m:s

That's some pretty weak mileage right there. I look at that and wonder how I'm even justifying writing a blog about my running...and then I remember that I'm training for a marathon again. Week one is officially in the books, although it didn't exactly go according to plan. I changed my workout for Tuesday to join the group of Thomas, Michelle, and Jamaar, and the tempo run I was supposed to do yesterday didn't happen. I had plans to run with Michell at McAlpine but the restaurant week shenanigans combined with the training to make me decide I could use the extra sleep.

So I only ran four days last week, and fewer than 35 miles. My training plan for this week is identical, except I have a "fast finish" long run instead of a "with hills" long run.

Hilly Long Run

10.84 mi in 01:26:32 - 7:59 ppm

The training plan called for a long run "with hills" at the end of week one. I like how I can ease into these long runs, especially given that I'm already in shape, as opposed to using marathon training to essentially achieve fitness, as I did last year. The more I get into training the more I understand many of the reasons that led to last year's injury. I am very confident that I can avoid any kind of setbacks this time around.

Incorporating hills into any kind of a run is a remarkably easy task in Charlotte, as long as one avoids the creek greenways. I headed over to the Dowd for this one and I was a bit worried when I saw Paul post on Facebook that he had called it a run after only 8 miles on account of the humidity. I decided to set off at "old man pace" and just do my best to get comfortable. I passed Meghan Fillnow and Emily Hansen on East Boulevard in the early section of this run as I ran through Freedom Park and part of the Summer Breeze course.

I left and headed towards Park Road shopping center, with the intent of running the older section of the Little Sugar Creek greenway. Here I ran into Anne Marie unexpectedly. We exchanged pleasantries and I witnessed a look of concern wash over her face as I asked if I could join her for a few miles. She made me promise not to kill her and we wound back through the neighborhoods and on to the park. After stopping to get water, we parted ways, and I made a point to charge up the East Boulevard hill. That effort pretty much sapped me, and luckily the run was almost done. I made it down Kenilworth and over to Morehead for one final hill.

With just under half a mile to go, I happened to switch Running Buddy over to "total average pace" to see that I was running 7:59 for the duration of the run. Uh-oh...I threw it in another gear and booked it up the street to the Y to ensure that my pace stayed under 8 per mile. Eh, not a big deal, but it's nice to find new ways to stay motivated.

Cut-off Loop

6.06 mi in 00:44:30 - 7:20 ppm

Back to the Dowd for the day. I have tentative plans to do my second workout - a marathon-pace tempo run - on Saturday, but given the restaurant week shenanigans that may be a bit ambitious. My only goal for today was to not get caught up in a faster pace or too long of an easy run - both of which are easy to do with this group!

I had to give something to Chad, who along with his wife was running a bit late, so I waited while they pulled in the parking lot and the group took off without us. Chad and I ran a sub-7 mile in order to catch up, and then I was awake! They were doing the 9-mile Colville loop, so I parted ways with them at the 4-mile mark and ran back to the Dowd. The pace was brisk again (7:20 average) but I felt a lot better than I had the day before.

Dowd Sauna

7.04 mi in 00:52:29 - 7:27 ppm

I met the group at the Dowd for some easy miles today that weren't really all that easy. We had a huge group but the conditions just keep getting tougher out there. I wanted to be able to go shorter than most of them - closer to 6 or 7 miles - so when it became clear there was no plan as to our running route, I shot up front and set the pace. I had us turn from the Booty Loop down back towards Freedom Park so I could run on the greenway and go back up Morehead to the Dowd. If anyone wanted to add extra there would be ample opportunities to do so.

Well, I set a quicker pace than I should have, and suffered a bit for it. Too fast for an easy day. There was a 7:21, a 7:16, and a 7:24 in there before I slowed down and let someone else lead. Given the weather conditions those paces surely must equate to 7-flat or better on normal days. Perhaps I should start taking the weather into consideration when calculating my pace....or better yet, just stay at the back of the pack next time.

Speed Loop Group

Warmup: 1.38 mi in 00:12:35 - 9:05 ppm
Workout - 15 x 1 minute hard; 1 minute rest after each rep. Total: 3.92 mi in 00:30:00 - 7:39 ppm
Cooldown - 4.12 mi in 00:36:18 - 8:49 ppm

This is the first week of my marathon training plan, and I was supposed to do mile repeats at "cruise" pace (a tad slower than 5k pace, around 6:20 or so per mile). I was invited to join Jamaar, Thomas Eggar, Michelle Hazelton, and Emily Barrett for a 15x1-minute workout at the Dilworth Speed Loop (where Dilworth East/West hit East Blvd.; reference the maps). When Anne Marie told me she was meeting them at the Dowd to do 300-meter repeats with her friend Siobhan, I decided to join in. I told her and Jamaar I would be there either way and if my back was feeling better I would join the workout.

I woke up around 5:30 a.m. and my back felt fine. I'm due for a workout as I haven't done one in three weeks, and I figured Michelle would be a good training partner as she has been finishing just ahead of me in most races we've done together (as the fastest female). I'm not sure what Thomas can run for a 5k, but he is fast, and Jamaar has been putting in some serious work lately in an effort to train for an ultra (longer than a marathon) race.

Needless to say, I was disappointed when I got to the Dowd and Thomas and Michelle were nowhere in sight. Jamaar, Anne Marie, Siobhan and myself were joined by a guy named Jeremy that I met at the CRC fun run and we started off on a warmup to the loop. It turns out Thomas and Michelle had decided to meet us there and after some attempts to synchronize Garmins, we were off. Jamaar took it out hard in the first rep as I attempted to cruise behind Michelle and came through in 5:02 pace (think 30 seconds for the last 0.1 of a 5k - that's fast). We all settled down a bit after that, but it wasn't long before nature called for me and I found a porta-jon. The rest of the group completed three reps while I was taking care of business, and then I re-upped.

It was neat to be able to see Anne Marie and Siobhan doing a different workout on the same loop as we were all able to cheer for one another. We would pass them, then slow down for our rest and they would pass us back, etc. With me still three reps behind, the rest of the group got down to the end as Thomas and I tried to encourage Jamaar, who wanted to run his fastest splits at the end. I did one solo while they recovered, but then Thomas was nice enough to jump in for two extra as I finished out my workout.

I wanted to do a longer cooldown so Jamaar and I ran with them to Michelle's house before heading back to the Dowd. My back felt as good as new again, luckily, and I was happy with the workout. The legs felt fresh and I was able to get some good turnover, especially at the end and considering the short recovery. 

Week in Review

26.27 miles in a dedicated time of 03:24:43 h:m:s

I took Billy's advice and kept it light this week, but probably should not have run at all after I pinched a nerve in my back. It's one of those things that doesn't seem serious but is actually kind of scary and I plan to take pains to make sure it doesn't surface again, even if it means bulking up some. I got in just under 30 miles and once the back feels better I'm going to begin training for....drumroll, please....Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon. Race day is November 12. In the words of Bart Scott: CAN'T WAIT!!!!

CRC "party run"

3.93 mi in 00:30:16 - 7:42 ppm

I decided to show up for one of the Charlotte Running Club's planned "fun runs," this one being at Freedom Park and including some sponsorship from EarthFare and LuluLemon. About 30 people showed up, including Stan and Jinnie Austin, John Fillette, Eric and Jessica Bilbrey, Thomas, Kahn, Jaskot, and others I didn't know. We just ran a four-mile loop from the park entrance through the surrounding neighborhoods.

I felt odd. I think the pinched nerve really affected me more than I've let on and will be something to continue monitoring even though it feels a lot better today.

Run For Your Life 4-Miler

Disclaimer: I did not race today. I showed up to watch my friends run, cheer for them, and take some video of the race with my Droid. The footage turned out already despite some shaky handling of the camera by me and the cloudy weather. The videos are in three parts; I gave the files to Mike Kahn to upload to the CRC youtube channel because he's the video-editing pro.

If not for the pinched nerve in my back - which is starting to feel better - I may have signed up on race day today. It was cloudy and barely 70 degrees just before gun time at 7:30 a.m. The race would start at the Dilworth RFYL and run part of the "Speed Loop," as well as a section of East Boulevard, before coming back to where it started. I slapped hands with Brinkley, Eggers, and Paul before the gun and found a cheering spot with Jamaar and Layla that was, I would guess, about 600 meters in.

RFYL 4-Miler

Someone I'd never heard of - Bert Rodriguez, from DC I'm told - smoked the field by running 5:00 pace, all the while looking like he was on vacation. Paul finished 2nd after beating rival Bob Marchinko for the first time. Anne Marie set a new PR and got an age group award. Eggers ran his best race of the year; Mitchell showed up and hung with the chase pack of Billy, Chad, Rich Harris, and Jim McKeon.

Pinched Nerve Running

4.09 mi in 00:30:51 - 7:32 ppm

I really should not have run today; my back is so sore that it hurts to move. I was just bored and I'm also extremely stubborn. I thought some movement would ease the soreness/numbness caused by the pinched nerve, but the whole right side of my body felt numb on today's run, which is kind of a scary feeling. I made it to McMullen and got in about 4 miles but I turned around when I didn't like what my body was telling me. I'm glad I didn't sign up for tomorrow's 4-Miler because I'm in no condition to race. I'm looking forward to cheering, though, as many of my friends will be involved.

Cooler One

5.58 mi in 00:43:06 - 7:43 ppm

I've been keeping an eye on the dew point lately - as opposed to the temperature and the heat index - before going on my runs. Apparently, 70 is the magic number for whether or not one's goals should be affected. Trouble is, a dew point below 70 is a rarity around here this time of year. It did occur today, though - 64 as of 11 a.m. to be exact. So, to recap, while running in the heat is tough, it can certainly be done, one must only adjust one's pace goals and properly hydrate to get things done. We got a break today and I got in an easy 5ish in the Freedom Park 'hood.

Sunbather

6.54 mi in 00:52:24 - 8:04 ppm

I ran from home to Freedom Park and back in the middle of the day for the second day in a row. Yes, it was awful; I couldn't even keep the pace below 8 per mile and I stopped for water a total of six times - three water fountains, twice each, on an out-and-back run. These things do not concern me, however. It's not an easy sport, and hey, had I gotten up on time and made it to the Dowd this would not have been an issue. I'm more concerned right now with what appears to be a recurrence of a pinched nerve in my upper back - an old basketball injury that isn't really serious but always puts me on the shelf for a few days when it shows up. We'll keep an eye on it.

It's Hot...because this is Charlotte and it's July

6.18 mi in 00:48:05 - 7:46 ppm

This heat is pure hell, but ya know what? It comes with the territory in these parts at this time of year. I've just learned to adjust my expectations as necessary...to realize that the run is going to suck and just get it done. I don't know what else to say. We'll complain about the heat because complaining is fun sometimes, but training through it will make us all stronger.

Week in Review

49.21 miles in a dedicated time of 06:19:26 h:m:s

I got in a solid, fun week of running, mostly in groups, despite a stress-induced stomach virus that sapped me of energy. This was my highest week of mileage this year, too.

You may notice that I didn't run a workout. It suddenly dawned on me that if I'm going to do a 17-week training program, then the marathon schedule needs to start soon. I found a program online that I think would suit me, and I'm going to begin it the week of July 18th. It will be easy at first, and after some solid training and a decent amount of racing lately I decided I could use a bit of a break. I discussed this with Billy and he gave me the following advice concerning the coming week: no workouts and no long runs, and if I don't feel like running, then don't. Sounds easy enough.

Tough Long Run

13.44 in 01:42:37 - 7:38 ppm

This one was tough. The humidity/dew point/temperature/whatever you want to go by...it's all been hell on us runners lately, and that combined with a still-empty stomach made things interesting for me today.

I persuaded Mitchell into getting up a little earlier and meeting our group at Old Bell at 6:30 a.m., and really, we would have been better suited to start earlier. We did have a huge group, though: myself, Mike, Spada, Paul, Alex, Ben Hovis, Nate Stanford, Kevin Ballantine, Ryan Koziol, Billy...I must be forgetting someone. We were going to take a break from the trails and run a road loop that Paul had mapped out and assured us all would be a downhill finish.

That of course meant an uphill start as we wound our way up Sardis, through Lansdowne, and then out Providence Road. Mitchell was able to glean some information from Spada about the New York City marathon that he's running in the fall. I took a break to urinate behind a tree and then had to run a 6:49 mile in order to catch up because the boys were already setting a quick pace. I blame Alex, who insists on running 7:10 pace or better every step of the way! We went all the way to Rea Road and then past the Olde Providence neighborhood, the site of my Firecracker 5k. Here we stopped to get water as Paul was nice enough to set out about 8 bottles under a tree for us.

We turned down Colony and I suddenly began to feel very weak. I informed Paul and then Kevin that I was going to slow down my pace and look for a shortcut back because I didn't have the energy to stay with them. Alex took a pee break without telling anyone and got way behind - he passed me before I turned off but never caught the group.

I turned down Carmel and made my way to Sharon View and Old Providence Road. I was going to take this route and then go across Providence and down Sardis Lane, which I figured would cut me short by about two miles from the 15 that everyone else was doing. I completely missed the downhill finish, however; my shorter route featured some pretty steep hills. Given how well I know these roads, I was aware of this, and just wanted to be done. I slipped into the high 7s and eventually even ran slower than 8 minutes per mile in this section.

I made it back to Old  Bell after getting in just over 13 for the day. The group showed up not much longer than I did and they were all spent as well. Spada said he was really hurting and we each took our sweet time passing out water and Gatorade and relaxing in the road.

I went home, made some food - which luckily I was able to keep down - and then slept like a baby for about five hours. I'm pleased to report as I write this that the stomach issues appear to have subsided, but man this was a tough day!

Oelz's Big Day

6.84 mi in 00:53:50 - 7:52 ppm

Today was the big day for Mr. Mike Oelz. However, I missed the bachelor's last run this morning on account of lingering stomach issues that, at this point, I'm attributing to some work-related stress. There just isn't a whole lot of food on the stomach right now and obviously that makes running a bit difficult. I should have just taken the day off, but I went to McAlpine in the heat of the day and made things worse. We did have a good time at the wedding, however.

..Second Dowd Run

7.63 mi in 00:57:21 - 7:31 ppm

I made it back to the Dowd again. This time it was Paul, Caitlin, Caleb Boyd, Kevin Ballantine, Matt Jaskot, Compton, and several more. David Brinkley even showed up; he's usually there every day to lift and decided to run with us this time.

We ran part of the Booty Loop and passed Anne Marie as she was doing another pick up run - which she nailed. I should add here that things really do go better for her when she doesn't run with me. I might be faster but she's a much smarter runner.

Caitlin, always the leader, took us down the greenway and then back to the Y before going off to do more. Compton discussed the possibilities of a fall marathon and then randomly disappeared. Paul, David, and I mostly ran together and discussed various training plans as well as a bit of race strategy for the upcoming RFYL 4-miler.

First Dowd Run

7.97 mi in 00:59:18 - 7:26 ppm

There is a CRC group that meets at the Dowd every Wednesday and Thursday at 6am to run. From what I gather it's a lot of the same people I usually see on the group long runs. I decided to make it out today for the first time.

I met Paul, Alex, Kahn, the Crockfords, Thomas, Michelle, and a few more. They were doing the 9-mile "Colville Loop" and I tagged along before having to find a bathroom because of stomach issues once again. Luckily there are always porta-jons nearby in the Eastover neighborhood as someone is always tearing down a million-dollar home and building another one in its place.

I ended up getting in a solid 8 miles for the day.

First Miners' Run

5.97 mi in 00:45:17 - 7:35 ppm

Well, I finally showed up for a "Miners' Run," named for the fact that everyone is supposed to wear a headlamp so they can see in the dark. I um..don't have a headlamp, but figured others would, and it usually gets light before 6 this time of year, anyway.

I was the first to arrive at Old Bell. I stood next to my car and watched curiously as a car sped past the turn on Sardis, hit the brakes, threw it in reverse, and barreled towards me backwards before stopping right in front of the gate...then pulling up and rapidly parallel-parking right behind me. Mike Kahn got out and exclaimed, "See man, I can do this valet stuff, too! Just hire me now!" We were shortly joined by Stan Austin, Alex, Megan Hovis (sans Ben), and a guy named Matt from Boston.

Between the early hours and some stomach issues (yes, again) I didn't feel all that great this morning. We met Jamaar at the park and I turned back, followed by Kahn, who was worried about being late for work. I truly felt all right but I ate a big July 4th dinner a little later than I normally would eat and that doesn't work when you have to run at 5:30 a.m. It was a fun group and I must say it's nice to have the run done with before 6:30 in the morning.

Recovery Miles

7.37 mi in 01:01:01 - 8:16 ppm

I don't normally run on Mondays, but since I missed a random day last week I'd like to start doing so. It will give me a way to bank the miles early in the week and take another day off, either by plan or by accident. I also felt like I needed one after racing last night, to shake some junk out of my legs. I met Anne Marie, Jamaar, and Christi at McAlpine to do a recovery run. We ran pretty slow and I think that really helped me work out some of the kinks. I threw in a half-mile surge at one point (6:20 pace or better) after stopping for water and getting left behind.

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

Week in Review

32.49 mi in 04:19:43 h:m:s

Things didn't quite go according to plan this week, but given the odd race time that was to be expected. I got in another good workout, a shorter long run, and ran a decent race. I also finally found some shoes that I can use for everything from racing to ultra long runs. Between that and a desire to take a break from racing I am going to make an effort to keep running out of the budget for at least a month. I'm not planning to toe the line again until Blue Points on August 5th.

I feel like I should report how the body feels after three consecutive weekends of racing in the heat, and I am pleased to announce that it feels good. A second workout will take the place of my racing for awhile now, which should take a lot less out of me. 

2011 Charlotte Firecracker 5k

Location: Olde Providence Elementary School
Warmup: 2.59 mi in 00:21:56 - 8:28 ppm
Race: 3.08 mi in 19:08 - 6:13 ppm; 1st in age group, (?) overall
Cooldown: 1.58 mi in 00:15:20 - 9:42 ppm

Results by Age Group

Naturally, the 7:00 p.m. start time for this one threw a curve in my pre-race plans. I feel like I'm back in the swing of things as far as my pre-race adjustments and preparation after so many years away from this sport, but there's a big difference between having a couple hours and having an entire day. I just woke up a little later than usual, ate a big power breakfast, and tried to relax around the house all day without going too stir-crazy. I actually had some things to catch up on around here so I suppose that helped, and I ate some chicken and pasta around 3:00.

The Brooks Ghost 4 .

I had yet to register, so I wanted to get to the site early. I picked up Anne Marie and we made it to Olde Providence Elementary just after 5:30. There wasn't much of a crowd at this point so I walked right up, paid my fee, and reviewed my packet. I did get a shirt (they weren't guaranteed to anyone who signed up later than Wednesday) and was pleased to note that I didn't have to put a chip on my shoe, as this one was also a strip on the back of the race number. Hopefully Run For Your Life will eventually join us all in the future of timing systems and do away with those annoying chips. (It's funny, I remember when that chip system first came out and we were all raving about how great and convenient it was - just another example of how my running career has come full circle).

A.M. wanted to get in a few miles for the day so she took off while I affixed my bib to my shorts. It was well over 90 degrees and I had already decided I was going to race shirtless. I had a decision to make on shoes - the new Brooks I just bought or the less durable - but lighter - New Balance. When Anne Marie came back I was ready to warm up so we took off down the street to run part of the course. This was extremely early for me to be doing a warm-up but I was glad to be done with it.

We got back to the school and the crowd was much larger by now. I think I heard someone say there were over 300 runners registered - not bad for a first-time event on a holiday weekend. I saw Chad (racing) and Danielle (cheering), then Jade and Jessica Costen (both racing!). I also saw Alejandro Arreola, whom I don't know personally but do know is pretty quick. There were also high school kids everywhere, so I figured I may actually be pretty far back in the pack for this one. I removed the Brooks and put on the New Balance and then decided I would be better off wearing the Ghost for this race. So that decision was made. I must say that it was a good one as I never thought about my shoes at all during the race.

We walked down to the starting line, said hello to my dad, who had come to watch and take some pictures. We ran into Jamaar and Christi and I handed Anne Marie my stuff as she wished me good luck and darted off further down the course. I did some strides and tried to get loose. It was hot. The hopes for a quick rainstorm to cool things had diminished by now. I've run well in the heat before, but not lately.

At the start: Chad (center), Alejandro (behind him), and me (to their left).
[photo by Barry Blackwood].

High school kids, fast out of the gates!! [photo by Barry Blackwood].

As we were given the command, a legion of kids ranging in age from I would guess 8 to about 18 darted off like bats out of hell. It was amazing. This is normal behavior, but here it was to a degree I had yet to witness. One kid even stopped and dropped out after less than a quarter-mile, as if he suddenly remembered he could be inside playing video games. I tried to start off at a pace I thought to be incredibly slow - and then go even slower than that. Since Chad was right next to me, I quickly realized it still wasn't slow enough. I backed off and glanced at my watch - about 5:30 pace. Truth be told, the downhill start did make it easier.

This truly was a rolling course - not as bad as Great Harvest in that the hills weren't as steep, but in some cases the incline was more gradual. We made a turn and I saw Carolyn Maye way up ahead in the distance, and wondered why she started out so fast. Her blond ponytail became my target point as I began to pick off the rabbits. Alejandro had started off even slower than I had, and he came trotting past me as I was still passing people up a hill. I was pleased with the way I was attacking the hills - something that has been a weakness recently.

I actually took water at one point to relieve my arid throat, and then came through mile one in 6:01 feeling like I was in pretty good shape. Carolyn was a lot closer to me now so I actually threw in a surge to go by her. I kept going,  passing an older guy who apparently decided to register under the name, "Farrah Fawcett." As I passed him, he began to talk, calling out, "OH YEAH! Way to go for it, dude!" -and that was only the beginning of his mouth.

We came down Abbotswood and turned on Lancer, approaching the CRC crew at the water stop. I spotted Aaron, who squirted me with a super-soaker, and Kahn, who had his camera phone at the ready. Farrah Fawcett and I ran side-by-side around some more hills. I couldn't tell if he was trying to encourage me or making fun of me. We passed people who knew him and shouted things like, "Frank, you call this racing?!" or (to me), "Dude, you know he's like, 50, right?" Dude! I can kick his ass after the race, if you want? We came by the CRC crew again, and Kahn began chasing me with his camera. I tried to think of something witty to say, such as "Why 5k?" or "Why 95 degrees?" (Kahn runs a website called Why Marathon?). He told me to watch out for the dude passing me, telling me to kick hard. Between the camera and Frank/Farrah Fawcett yelling out, "Gonna have to be harder than THAT!!" I just started laughing. That probably cost me a few seconds.

This smiling psychopath proved to be too fast for me today.
[photo by Barry Blackwood]

I had nothing to catch Farrah Fawcett, and Carolyn wasn't close enough to catch me, so I was now all alone with less than a mile to go, and I slowed down badly. I had hit even splits of 6:01 and 6:01 for the first two miles but was now wilting in the heat, on the way to a 6:40 (there it is again) third mile. At least this time I felt like I had done some racing. Put me in halfway decent weather conditions and I'm willing to bet I don't wilt like that. I finished just over 19 minutes, a fittingly frustrating end. I didn't enough to catch Farrah, but I had enough to break 19 and just didn't quite bring it out. I was thoroughly whipped afterwards, though.

Making the turn to finish. Hurting, but trying to press. Stomach looks flabby but form looks ok.
[photo by Barry Blackwood]

Better view. [photo by Barry Blackwood]

After the race I cooled down with Anne Marie and discussed my initial disappointments with the performance, but having given it some thought later I felt better about it. I didn't know what to expect today with the later start and the heat. Had you told me beforehand I would run 6:40 for mile 3 and still almost break 19, I probably would have been all right with it. The race pictures indicate that I clearly have about 10 pounds I can lose, and if that doesn't happen by the end of August, it will happen during marathon training. So there is definitely room for improvement.

There was a pool party afterwards, and I got a chance to ham it up with A.M., Paul, Aaron, Billy, Emily, and Laura Sudduth. It was a great event and one I may have to put on the calendar for next year, as well. Thanks for reading.

Firecracker Course Preview

3.90 mi in 00:30:38 - 7:51 ppm

I am running the Charlotte Firecracker 5k tomorrow, July 3rd, at 7 p.m. in the Windy Rush neighborhood of south Charlotte (right near the intersection where Rea hits Colony). Today I sauntered over there to preview the course. I wasn't exactly sure where to start and I had to get back down the street to my car, so nevermind the mileage above. If this course isn't accurate, it's very close.

We start off on a downhill, which means I can probably start off way too fast again and get away with it (NO, it means you can start off slow and be in even better position, dammit!) - I'll let the voices in my head figure it out tomorrow. The course is a net uphill but it has a chance to be fast. It will certainly be a good spectator course, as there are several instances where the runners pass by more than once.

I am most curious to see what kind of competition shows up for this one. Given this is the weekend of the 4th, I expect a good number of people will be in party mode, or out of town. Also, there are some familiar names in the results of yesterday's HFFA Firecracker 5k in Huntersville. I do know that CRC is expected to have an aid station set up, and since there's a pool party afterward, the post-race festivities are guaranteed to be...festive.

As for me, I obviously want to run hard again but it's getting tough to know what to expect from my body week to week. This is a 7pm race, and the forecast is for either blazing hot temperatures or severe thunderstorms. We shall see!

Friday Long Run

8.33 mi in 01:05:04 - 7:48 ppm

Since I'm racing this Sunday, I had a dilemma to solve for the training week: I could do my long Friday, two days before my race; I could do it Monday, the day after the race; or I could skip a long run altogether. The last option was out. The middle option seemed appealing at first but I figured it would alter my weekly planning too greatly, seeing as how Monday is, in fact, a part of next week. This was supposed to be a shorter long run so I chose the first option.

I wanted to do at least 10 but I decided to sleep in, putting me out there in the heat. I was sore from yesterday's workout and distracted by the feeling of having new shoes on my feet (new shoes that I decided to break in with a 200-meter workout...ha). I got in a little over 8 and figured that was enough. I was doing so well with getting up and out the door early, and now I've reverted back to my old, evil ways. Efffff...