Friday, July 6, 2007

Wanted to TRI Something Interesting Today!

I have been training for the Marine Corps Marathon and the official training started the last week of June. I had already been swimming after my runs and on my off days ever since the water has been warm enough to swim in. And recently I have been turning some miles on the Lifecycle at the gym after my run workouts and for cross training. So...I was off from work today and I wanted do something interesting for my training today. My regular training called for one hour of running at tempo pace with some speed intervals towards the end. Since I was at the fitness center using the treadmill, and I have been riding the Lifefitness cycle for 30-40 minutes after the run, I decided to do my hour of running on the treadmill, then an hour on the cycle and when I get home I could do one hour of laps in the pool...and that's what I did.

Run: Warmed up first by walking on the treadmill at 4.2-5.0 mph for three minutes. Then I reset the treadmill and started my run at 7 mph for one minute, then upped it to 7.5 mph for one minute then increased it to 8 mph for the first part of the run for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, I increased the speed to 8.5 mph for 10 minutes, then 9 mph for 10 minutes, then 9.5 mph for 10 minutes and finally 10 mph for 10 minutes and then backed it down to 8 mph for two minutes and then stepped up the speed 0.5 mph every minute till 10.5 mph and then back down to 8 mph for the final minute. Final total on the run: 8.58 miles in one hour.

Lifecycle: Was already warmed up so I selected the Random setting, set the time for one hour and started at level 6 and started peddling. I increased the level from 6-10 depending if I was on the hills or not. I tried to keep the peddle turnover at 100/min or higher. At the end of an hour I had gone exactly 15 miles...so I guess I was averaging 15 mph...Looks like I need some improvement here!

Swim: Left the fitness center and went home to the pool and swam laps for one hour. The pool is only 40 feet long so there was a lot of laps to keep track of...which is really hard when you're trying to concentrate on proper strokes and breathing...I usually try for a five strokes to a breath so I breath from each side...I think I added extra laps and may have missed some laps but I think it all evened out in the end. I didn't do flip turns because doing those would only leave me about 5-7 strokes before getting to the other side. So I just touched the sides with a slight push off from the wall. At the halfway point I had 80 laps and the last half hour was also 80 laps...so I was consistent...consistently slow...but none the less consistent. I had problems with muscle cramps about half way through...especially in the toes...but I finished the hour. Total laps: 160 for a total of 1950 meters...like I said...really slow.

Next time I do something like this...I want to reverse the order...swim, cycle and run...just like they do in the TRIs...but want to add the miles to the cycle to 56 and the run to 13.1. The swim distance was fine...just need to work on the speed as well as speed on the cycle. Let's see how this training goes...of course my primary training is for marathon running...the next one being the MCM in October with a couple of halfs...one in September and one two weeks before the MCM.
But...It is all good cross training...Isn't that Right?

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

We Build People 5K 4 July 2007

I finally had an opportunity to run another5K race. It was put on by the Virginia Beach YMCA called We Build People 5K ...An opportunity to finally see if I could break the 20 minute mark for a 5K. My first and last 5K was last Decemeber with a time of 21:02. I figured I needed a pace of 6:15-6:20.

The race is at a place called Mount Trashmore...it's actually a trash dump that has been covered over and now is a park...in Virginia Beach. The weather was very nice for this time of year...about 70F at race time with a little breeze. The course was laid out around Mount Trashmore and the adjoining street. A kind of down the road, around a small loop, down the road some more, then a loop around the mount and then down the road again, double back down the road, crossing the start/finish line but continuing on for about a quarter mile before doubling back again to the finish line. So, lots of opportunities to see people behind you on the double backs...also good opportunity to see whose ahead of you.

I did my normal race day wake up routine, getting up early, eating breakfast and relaxing before heading to the race. The race starts at 7:30 and I got there about an hour early. I had pre-registered the day before but still needed to pick up the timing chip. After picking up the chip I walked out to the "Mount" for a warm-up and did some hill work. I sprinted up the face of Mount Trashmore, ran along the crest at the top and jogged down the other side. Then I turned around and sprinted back up the hill, ran the crest and jogged down again and then headed for the start line.

The race started pretty much on time...well, maybe a couple of minutes late, but no big deal. I was a row of runners back from the start line and had a lousy start when the starting horn blew. There were a bunch of kids and slower runners that sprinted ahead of me that I had to weave around but after about 200 meters, it was pretty much clear running and I settled into a fast pace and started running down slower runners. The first mile marker was near the back of the Mount Trashmore loop and came in at 6:13. I was feeling really good...the pace being not too fast, feeling just about right and I was still picking off a few runners. The second mile marker was after the turn around on the main road and it came in at 12:29...still doing great, feeling great, on time and still picking up a runner or two. Heading to the third mile, we cross the start finish line and head out to our final out and back. Mile three is after the turn around and comes in at 18:52...lost some time but still well within range of that under 20 minute mark...just a tenth to go. Before the mile three marker a guy I had passed passes me and I know it's time to kick it in gear. We sprint to the finish...and I beat him across the finish by a couple of seconds as the clock reads 19:28. It twas an awesome feeling!...but I forget to stop my watch or even set the lap.

We get our chips removed and head to the water and food tables...bananas, apples, bagels and watermelon...yummy...but glancing at my watch I see that I forgot to stop my watch or even set the lap at the finish... it's now showing over 20 minutes. A little later the first race results are posted and I am really surprised to find the time 19:58 next to my name...more than 30 seconds slower than what the finish clock showed when I crossed the finish line...or was I seeing things and not get the right time? It was puzzling but it still was under 20 minutes and I did place 22nd overall and first in my age group.

At the awards ceremony they anounced the official time which ended up 19:27...so there must have been some type of glitch in the initial results. Oh Happy Days!

Race stats:

There were 26 finishers in the Male 50 to 54 age group and 415 total finishers.
Overall finish place was 22
Age group finish place was 1
Time: 19:26.80 for an overall pace of 6:16 per mile

Another goal accomplished...on to the next!

Hope everyone had a very happy 4th of July!