…Thursdays, 6pm, at:
Training Journal – 8/4/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – Recovery Week
- Today’s session: Rest
- Comments: Pancakes!
…during today’s afternoon snack. In a sensible way.
Training Journal – 8/3/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – Recovery Week
- Today’s session: 4-5 mile easy run
- Comments: I did 6.65 miles @ 8:30. After four days off from running (though two of those days I biked), it felt good to hit the road again. Foot is still slightly tender…hmmmm.
July was a solid month of training – mixing road and trail running as well as returning to cycling on Mondays [a spread of 66% road, 17% trail, and 17% bike.]
One new piece of equipment this month. I bought an Amphipod Full-Tilt – Velocity water belt. I plan to use this supplement the Amphipod handheld for trail and longer runs. It took a few runs to get used to it (I’ve worn it on all my long runs and each trail run), but I like it. I didn’t wear it on the San Francisco First Half Marathon, since they had a fair amount of aid stations that would supplement my handheld, but will probably wear it for trail races in the future or races that don’t have an abundance of aid stations.
Anyway, here are the stats for the month that was July 2012:
Running
Mileage:
- Total: 157.72 [+20.75 from June]
- Shortest run: 3.07 [-.06 from June]
- Longest run: 15.21 [+1.82 from June]
- YTD: 970.56
Pace:
- Overall Avg: 9:09 [+:22 from June]
- Slowest Avg: 13:07 [+3:28 from June]
- Fastest Avg: 8:07 [+:09 from June]
- YTD Avg: 9:04
Total Running Time:
- 24.58 hours or 1465 minutes [+4:25:00 from June]
- YTD: 147.32 hours or 8829.47 minutes
Cycling
Mileage:
- 58.24 miles [didn’t ride in June]
- YTD: 81.78
Pace:
- Avg. of 12.9 mph [didn’t ride in June]
- YTD Avg: 13.1 mph
Total Cycling Time:
- 4.5 hours or 272 minutes
- YTD: 6.34 hours or 380 minutes
Training Program(s):
- Still using the plan I made using a combination of the Runner’s World Smart Coach app with pace adjustments using the McMillan Running Calculator: Weekly mileage: 25-35 miles a week – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Weekday sessions ranged in distance from 5 to 8 miles, with the weekend session being the “long run” day at 10 to 14 miles. The plan integrates Easy Runs, Tempo Runs, Speed Runs, and hill workouts.
- On the plan, Monday is a cycling session to add some cross training.
Caloric Stats:
- Consumed: 106,430 [+4582 from June]
- Burned: 24,664 [+7,885 from June]
- YTD: C: 649,518 / B: 117,541
Races Completed:
- 7/29: The San Francisco Marathon – First Half [report]
- Time: 1:52:37 / 8:36 pace
- Placed:
- Overall: 783/7386
- Men: 588/3390
- Age Bracket: 112/733
- YTD Race Count: 10
- 5k: 1
- 10k: 1
- Half Marathon: 3
- Other: 5
GIDDY-UP!
Training Journal – 8/2/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – Recovery Week
- Today’s session: Bike ride
- Comments: I did 15.61 miles at an avg of 13.6 mph. One more day of rest for the foot. I plan to do a VERY easy run on Friday.
This past Sunday, I ran the First Half of the San Francisco Marathon. The event is actually six in one, offering something for virtually every runner:
- Full marathon
- Two half marathons: the first and second half portions
- A 5K & progressive marathon
- A Munchkin Kid’s run
- A 52.4 ultra marathon, which is basically the marathon course run in reverse starting at midnight (for charity) and then the regular marathon.
The Main races drew a field of 17,975 finishers: 6447 for the full marathon, 7389 for the first half (the GG Bridge must be a draw), and 4139 for the second half.
The weather was perfect – mid 50s, no wind to speak of, and a bit foggy. Again, perfect!
This was my first San Francisco Marathon event, but my third crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge this year (previous crossings were the Emerald Across the Bay and the Presidio 10.) This race boasts allowing runners to run on the roadway; which was a nice change from the other two, since they are on the bridge’s sidewalk which repeatedly diverts around the bridge’s supports.
The start waves for the First half were well managed, being combined with the Full Marathon’s waves. Volunteers were everywhere, which was fantastic. It is obvious that this is “done well” and has incorporated lessons over the years.
The First Half’s course itself heads from the Embarcadero along the Bay, up to the Bridge deck, then across and back, along the coastal portion a bit, then into the Richmond part of San Francisco, and finishes in Golden Gate Park. It starts flat, teases you with a short hill, resumes a flat portion just to lull you into speeding up, before slamming you with the climb up to the bridge. The Bridge itself is an incline/decline in both directions – again, to play with your tempo and pace. Off the bridge, it’s a nice decline, followed by a pair of steady inclines, on toward the finish line in Golden Gate Park. The First Half is NOT a cake walk – though, with proper training and a good pace plan, it is not insurmountable. It was a great challenge for me and I sure appreciated my hill prep during training.
Because I’m probably light in the “cute factor” on my blog…and I’m still working on my SF Marathon race report, the following if offered:
Training Journal – 7/31/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – Recovery Week
- Today’s session:
3 mile easy runRest - Comments: My left foot/heel is still a bit angry today, so I am continuing to give it a rest.
Just two things, in the space of two days, that provided sweet memories of my mom and dad.
After decompressing from my race yesterday, Karen and I found a great Mexican eatery in the Ferry building (Mijita.). I had a taco and Karen got the chicken taquitos. The taquitos were exactly like the ones my mom made – thousands of times. What memories: anxiously watching her roll/fry/stack them, eating them by the handfull, homemade guacamole, salsa that made even my dad cry, being the “lucky one” who found a toothpick in your taquito… Wow, just like it was yesterday. (oh, and yes, I ate one of Karen’s taquitos.)
Tonight, sitting on our patio, we are being serenaded as our neighbor two doors down has a mariachi band playing in their backyard. Every time I hear mariachi music, I think of my dad. The Thanksgiving and Christmas after my mom died, he spent a few weeks with us. One night, we went to a local Mexican restaurant and they had a mariachi band strolling around that night. My dad requested a few songs, listened, and teared up – they were ones that reminded him on my mom.
Memories. Sweet memories.
How I miss them both so much…
Training Journal – 7/30/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – Recovery Week
- Today’s session: Rest
- Comments: My left foot/heel are a bit angry today. Usual stiffness from the race yesterday – oh, and an afternoon/evening walk around Fisherman’s Warf area…
View from our hotel room in San Francisco. The weather has been wonderful. This morning was the SF Marathon – I ran the First Half. Full race report tomorrow or Tuesday…
Training Journal – 7/29/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – RACE DAY
- Today’s session: San Francisco Marathon – First Half
- Comments: Half Marathon #3 in the bag – time: 1:52:37. I’m bummed & happy – time coulda been better, but it was very crowded on bridge. Oh well, still under 2 hour mark!
Ready for tomorrow!
Training Journal – 7/28/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – TAPER WEEK
- Today’s session: Pre-race rest
- Comments: Rest & Carbs, for tomorrow we run!
Today, I sorta look like a character from a mid-80’s re-make of a 1970s French comedy film…
Training Journal – 7/27/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – TAPER WEEK
- Today’s session: Pre-race rest & carb load
- Comments: Pre-race rest & carb load – oh, I said that already
X
[slow news day. the post above is the “blank slate” i start with each day. today, it’s staying blank.]
Training Journal – 7/26/12:
- Current plan: Half-marathon program – TAPER WEEK
- Today’s session: 3 mile run
- Comments: I did 3 miles @ 8:39
DENNARR(dot)COM 