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UNCF Race/Walk

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Location:

Cypress,TX,

Member Since:

Oct 10, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5K: 24:22 (March 2010); 22:33 (October 2010); 20:47 (May 2011); 21:05 (May 2012); 21:33 (September 2012); 21:23 (November, 2013); 22:31 (September 2014)

5M:  39:22 (November, 2012); 35:54 (November, 2013); 36:03 (March, 2015)

10K: 44:08 (November, 2010); 49:20 (July, 2013); 44:07 (April, 2015)

12K:  56:03 (December, 2013); 58:58 (December, 2014)

10M:  1:11:58 (October, 2012); 1:15:24 (October, 2014)

Half Marathon:  1:53:xx (London's Run 2010); 2:05:21 (Cowtown 2010); 1:37:04 (Gusher 2011); 1:42:19 (Huntsville 2011); 1:33:47 (Baytown Jailbreak 2012); 1:33:50 (The Woodlands 2012); 1:42:52 (Texas 2015); 1:49:17 (Jailbreak 2015); 1:38:34 (The Woodlands 2015)

25K: 2:01:47 (Fifth Third River Bank, May 2014)

Marathon: 5:51:35 (Texas Marathon 2009); 6:21:36 (Ogden 2009); 4:58:29 (St. George 2009); 4:13:45 (Texas Marathon 2010); 4:04:12 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2010); 5:11:14 (Hartford ING, 2010); 3:41:43 (Richmond SunTrust, 2010); 3:39:27 (Texas Marathon 2011); 3:41:46 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2011); 3:30:35 (St. George 2011); 3:41:51 (Richmond 2012); 3:49:15 (Texas 2013); 3:46:59 (Paavo Nurmi, 2013); 3:34:04 (St. George 2013); 3:49:51 (Texas 2014); 3:31:59 (Richmond 2014); 3:28:34 (Boston 2015)

Short-Term Running Goals:

3:20, 1:30, 0:20

Long-Term Running Goals:

I'm 60, there is no long term.

Personal:

I live, work and run in Houston, Texas.  I have run 17 marathons, some good ones and some others.  I prefer straight, flat, cold, sea-level marathons, still waiting for my first one.  I feel like there are more PRs out there.  When I have them, I am told it is time to dial it back, run for healthy reasons.  I'm sure that's right, and I'm sure it won't happen.

My wife and I are from the mountains of the west.  We have five kids, three granddaughters and three grandsons.  The kids and grandkids are native Texans but we are not -- you have to be born here.

As for my blog title: I run most of my miles before sunrise, sometimes hours before. On the back road of my neighborhood two hours before daylight, I can depend on a pack of mutts behind the boundary fence lighting up when they hear my footsteps. I have wondered what they wanted; but according to Hemingway I needn't ask.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
192.558.2026.200.00226.95
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.006.200.000.006.20

Another 10K on the TM in Cairo, averaged about 7:30.  The Cairo metropolitan area has 22 million people, and I believe all of them have cars.  Also, there is not a single traffic light in the entire city.

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

77F, 97% (DP 76F), no measureable wind. I thought the weather would get cooler if I left for two weeks, but these are respectable mid-summer metrics. Back in Houston as of last night. I didn't do much running in Cairo, but I did get the trots. Fought it all the way back and still not over it. My conditioning is also down due to not being able to keep things going while traveling. Woke up at 1:30 due to jet lag and finally gave up at 4:30 and went for a run. Didn't know what I could do, but it was OK. My legs felt good, though I knew it wouldn't be great when I measured my resting HR at 56.  Normal is 52. 8:32/mile average, fastest was 8:12 -- nothing to write home about, but hey, I'm home now so no need to write.

A side note:  When we got back to Dubai on Wednesday night, we were laughing in the cab about the traffic.  The cabbie was Egyptian, so he clued us in a little bit on how it all worked.  All the beeping horns are not random noise.  They are saying stuff in Arabic.  He demonstrated the two main ones, which boiled down to "I love you" and "I hate you".

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

78F, 97% (DP 77F), dead calm.  Ran 10.0 in 1:23:06, 8:18/mile, 165 bpm average, 180 max.  There needs to be a category between "easy" and "marathon pace", because this run was not close to marathon pace and it nearly killed me.  We should have cooler weather sometime in the next three months, though.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.900.003.100.0010.00

77F, 94% (DP 75F), calm. Did another 10, today: Very gradual 4-mile wu, from 11:26 pace down to 8:26, then 5 x 1K: 7:42 (163), 7:14 (170), 7:13 (172), 7:34 (175), 7:42 (179), max 180 bpm. 1.38 miles cd. Overall 10.0 miles in 1:25:44, 8:34/mile. Pretty blah effort. Resting heart rate was down to 55 though, so I am coming back a little bit from jet lag and GI problems. I have a 5K this weekend which I have been targeting, but at this point it looks like it won't be a fast one.

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.002.004.000.0010.00

76F, 94% (DP 74F), still no wind, but ever-so-slightly cooler.  Woke up very early, insomnia-style, worked a couple of hours then went out for another workout. Sitting on the curb, resting HR was 52, so back in range finally. Did 3 wu, 9:09 down to 8:19, then 2 x 2 miles, goal pace 7:30. Results were 7:28 (160), 7:32 (166), 1 mile active recovery (8:06), then 7:24 (169) and 7:22 (176). Finished the run at marathon pace, 7:53, 7:57. Max heart rate 180. Overall 7:59 pace, good run, left me with some hope for a decent low-7 pace on Saturday.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

78F, 91%, (DP 75F), calm.  5.0 at 11:26/mile, LLHR.  Not a good result, but it is hot.  Suspicious, I got on the scales a little later in the morning and discovered I had put on about 6 pounds.  Pretty discouraging, as I have been trying to watch my weight all summer.  Sitting on planes and eating in restaurants for two weeks is deadly.

PM:  5 miles downhill on the TM.

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.000.005.00

Thunderstorms this morning, so I went to the gym for a quick 5.  Started out at 10:00 pace and ended up at 6:40, averaged 7:40 overall.  So much easier on the TM to get speed.

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Race: UNCF Race/Walk (3.1 Miles) 00:22:12, Place overall: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
2.500.003.100.005.60

75F, 94%, (DP 73F), NE 5 mph.  This is my annual UNCF 5K, always hoping for a win, since nobody fast ever shows up.  But every year at least one person shows up who is faster than me.  Got up and packed, remembered everything but my Garmin.  Even had my HRM strapped on.  But it was no big deal -- the weather was hot and I knew I wouldn't get a good time.  But on the other hand I figured it might be to my advantage, since I don't think most people train in the heat like I do, even in Houston.

I got to the race early, just at sunrise, picked up my bib and puttered around.  I didn't have anybody running it with me this year.  I decided to go out and run the course, but realized I better cut it short since I wasn't sure of the time.  So I turned back toward the start line, getting there just as they were starting.  If I had run a full 3 warmup I would have missed the race.

Me and a ragged assortment of guys took off at the front.  I wasn't in the lead, but the leaders didn't know the course.  So I was yelling out directions from 20 yards back.  After about a mile I started closing the gap.  I was in second place at the 2-mile mark when the leader made a wrong turn.  He was a kid,  looked like about 15.  I yelled at him and the constables finally got him turned back.  He probably lost only 4 or 5 seconds but it took the starch out of his legs because I never heard from him again.  So I ran the last mile all alone, then at the last turn into the finishing chute the first guy I passed caught me and I couldn't answer, no kick in these ancient legs.  So second place again.  I wonder if he knows he cheated an old man out of his only chance for victory.

Not having a watch probably hurt me, because I have run this fast alone in my neighborhood; should have been faster than that today, but maybe doing speed work yesterday wasn't such a good idea.

Comments(9)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.400.003.000.0015.40

64F, 90% (DP 61F), breeze from SSE.  Warming back up after a dew point of 53F yesterday morning.  Still plenty cool, though.  Ran 2 wu, then 3 miles at GHMP:  7:23, 7:05, 6:53, then met Wade and finished the run at 8:20 to 8:40 pace.  I thought I was running faster than the race on Saturday, but when I plugged in the actual distance of the coursse on Saturday (3.19 miles), my average came out to 6:58/mile, so today was a little slower.  Felt better though.

PM:  5 on TM, downhill, 6 mph up to 8.5 mph.

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
20.000.000.000.0020.00

74F, 91% (DP 71F), minimal wind from the East.  Out for a longish run today, 13 LLHR miles, 10:36/mile, 121 bpm.  5 with Wade.  Then back at the house I climbed on the TM for another 7 downhill, last 4 at 8 mph.  There isn't really much aerobic effect inside with low humidity, treadmill and downhill, it is just a matter of tuning up my legs for the half marathon in October, which is almost entirely downhill..  So kind of an odd 20-miler today, but I'm still counting it because my legs are telling me I did something.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.003.000.0015.00

75F, 95% (DP 73F), breeze from NE.  Woke up very early and worked a while, then went out and ran 10, in very familiar summer conditions.  Originally planned to do 5 hard ones, but I knew when I woke up that it wasn't happening today.  Pretty wiped out from yesterday's weird long run.  Warmed up 2, then 3 miles hard:  7:30 (154), 7:26 (163), 7:19 (170), max HR 174.  1 mile cd, then met Wade for 4 more.  Overall 10.0 in 1:23:57, 8:24/mile.  Longest stride length today was 1.07 meters, whereas Monday it was 1.14. Cadence today on the fastest mile was 209, compared to 204 on Monday.  So short, choppy stride today -- the metrics confirmed how I felt and clearly demonstrated the hazards of running on sore legs.

PM:  5 more downhill on TM, about 8:20 pace.

Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
15.000.005.000.0020.00

73F, 97% (DP 72F), breeze from SSE.  Slept in from a late work night, didn't get out until 5:30.  Did 10.0 at LLHR, 10:39/mile, 121 bpm.  At the house afterward I did 5 more downhill TM miles at 7:53 pace.  I haven't been putting a HRM on these TM runs, the main purpose is to pound out the legs and get used to the faster turnover when the slope points down.

PM:  5 more downhill on TM, 7:06 pace overall, last half mile at 10.2 mph.

Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
15.000.000.000.0015.00

72F, 97% (DP 71F), calm.  Had to get to work, so stopped at 8, 8:26 average pace.

PM:  7 more on TM, 7:30 pace, downhill.

Long run in the morning to finish out a high miles week, then traveling again for a few days.

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
20.000.000.000.0020.00

70F, 96%, (DP 69F), no breeze. Out early, starting the run at 4:24 a.m. Met Wade at his house after 7.3 miles. Left my water bottle there and headed out for 11 more, but stopped at the church and got a drink there. Then two more back to my house, where we took a well-earned dip in the pool. Then drove to McDonalds for a large breakfast. Started out under an 8:30 pace and held it through 11 or 12 miles, but ended up the 20 in 2:50:38, an 8:32 pace. Last miles were dragging, but got mile 20 at 8:32. Average heart rate was 146, hovered around 150 after about mile 11, some over some under until the last mile at 156, so overall my heart rate was very much in check. Very tired legs from the big week. Nevertheless, our pace equated to a 3:43 marathon, so not bad for a late summer, somewhat muggy run. 

No complaints about the temperatures though. 69 DP is a significant improvement over only two weeks ago.

Comments(8)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.160.000.000.007.16

Hotel TM in Guatemala City.  7.16 miles in 1 hour (8:23/mile).  Elevation is 5,000 feet here.  It was a shock at first, then seemed generally OK. I'll see how I feel later in the day.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.220.000.000.008.22

67F, 87%, (DP 63F), calm breeze from N.  Nothing Tuesday and Wednesday while traveling.  Met Wade for an hour of running back in Houston this morning, 8.22 miles at 8:22/mile!  First and last time I will ever get that combination, still smiling this afternoon.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.005.000.0015.00

72F, 90% (DP 69F), calm breeze NE.  Three wu:  9:33, 8:37 and 8:11, followed by 5 tempo miles:  7:33 (157), 7:27 (162), 7:30 (166), 7:16 (171) and 7:06 (175), max 177 HR, then 2 cd: 8:27, 8:36.  Overall time 1:20:18, 8:02/mile. Slept in late and felt lethargic, so good run under the circumstances.  Need to do more of these.

PM:  5 downhill on TM at 7:30 pace. Left ham starting to protest a little bit.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
18.070.000.000.0018.07

75F, 82% (DP 70F), SW 3 mph.  Started very early, ran 8 and met Wade for 10 more.  Very fatigued, could not maintain a decent pace, so we slowed down to 10+ pace.  Then at mile 18 the run was terminated with a sharp pain in my left hamstring.  I quit immediately, hopefully salvaged it.  9:27/mile overall.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.200.000.000.000.20

Ran out of my cul de sac and returned immediately; left ham bothering me too much to risk it.

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
2.500.000.000.002.50

69F, 97% (DP 68F), calm breeze from NNW.  Hammy a little better, good enough to limp along.  But it seized up again at 2.5 and I did the walk of shame back to the house.  Held steady throughout the day, though, and by evening the stiffness receded somewhat.

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.600.000.000.003.60

71F, 93% (DP 69F), calm breeze from NNE.  Left ham felt a little more tame this morning -- went out for some LLHR miles, did 3.6 at 10:42 pace, pretty good with not getting much push-off from my left leg.  I quit before it seized up, so progress.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
192.558.2026.200.00226.95
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