20K Practice Run

On Sunday August 30th I awoke early to test my mettle for my upcoming 20K race. The weather was perfect, no humidity and temperatures in the mid 60's. In a nutshell, I was able to comfortably run about seventeen kilometers, or about 10.5 miles. This run lasted about two hours. I am hoping my race time adrenaline levels will carry me through an additional three kilometers. Three kilometers is slightly less than two miles.

My problem with training runs this long is maintaining proper hydration levels. Conventional wisdom is runs over forty-five minutes require re-hydrating. I have seen runners who carry a water bottle as they run. I do not like holding anything as I run. I need to map my runs so I loop back to my house around the eight to ten kilometer mark and grab a bottle of fluid to rehydrate.

I began by running five kilometers in the Arbor Greene development, located minutes southeast of my home and then consumed about eight ounces of fluids. I then ran an additional ten kilometers to the eastern side of town and back to my home. At this fifteen kilometer mark I consumed in excess of sixteen ounces of fluid. I then rested for nearly two minutes. Due to the extended rest time, my legs began to stiffen and the next two kilometers were very difficult to complete.

I was slightly disappointed I could not finish twenty kilometers. Bigger picture, I knew I was back in good enough shape to have a reasonable chance to finish the 20K race. I need to be very smart pace-wise, remain adequately hydrated, and most importantly, enjoy myself.

Tim Russell Memorial 5K Race

I signed up for this race Friday night (Aug 28th) at the cafeteria within the Hershey High school. I had been waivering as to whether I wanted to run this local race. I need to be training for long distances of over ten miles for my September races, not three mile sprints. I remember running this race in 1997, my other year in which I took up running as an avocation. When I signed up I noticed the racers bibs were customized and the T-Shirts were of a very attractive design. I keep all my racing bib numbers as souvenirs of the races. I regard them as a sort of adult merit badges. It doesn't take much to persuade myself to run a 5K race.

I have to admit my confidence level was very low going into this race today. I did not wear my new orange Mizuno race flats because I was unsure if I was going to have a terrible race outing again.

The race was slated to begin at 9:00 AM. I arrived at the Hershey High school about 8:30 am. I was very surprised to see between 200 and 300 runners at this race. (Correction. There were officially 438 runners who finished this race.) It had a good mix of high school athletes and newbies running a 5K for the first time. Since I had picked up my racing tag the day before, I was ready to go upon arrival. I only had to find the starting area the morning of the race.

Because my confidence was low I began the race in far behind the starting line in the back of the pack. In retrospect, this was a mistake. Once the race started, the group I was in did not move. It seemed like we did not move for ten seconds, but it was probably on the order of four or five seconds.

Once we began moving I found myself engulfed in a hornet's nest of runners with little or no room to advance my pace without running zig-zag patterns down the course line. This persisted for nearly a half mile into the race.

All in all, this was a very fair course. Not totally flat, but no energy sucking ascending hills. The finish was unorthodox. You had to cut off a road, up a baseball field's left field line to a finish line near home plate. The last 100 yards was on a slight uphill on grass.

This race turned out to be a confidence booster. I ran my second fastest 5K time, finishing in 24 minutes and 16 seconds. While I did tire in the last two kilometers, I did not tire to the extent I had to resort to walking as I had previously in my last 1oK race.

I finished 189th out of 438 runners (43 % tile).

Zen Like Running

I decided to try to run five kilometers after work yesterday in spite of not feeling 100% recovered from my bout with a tooth infection. I had been having issues with becoming very weak and light headed during my last two runs. My plan was to run 2.5 kilometers away from my home and then come back the same route.

I ran at a slow relaxed pace trying to conserve my energy for the run. In a nutshell, running with mental effort dedicated toward conserving my energy by running at a comfortable pace, conscientiously breathing with deeper breathes than normal, and repeating to myself in a mantra like fashion "Glide through the wind" enabled me to run ten kilometers without having to stop and walk.

When I run a 5K race I run as if there were an angry bear chasing after me. I am hell bent on getting to the finish line as soon as possible. Recently a man jogged through our development past our house. He initially caught my eye because he ran very upright, almost like a pencil with legs. In spite of his strange gait, he had a very calm and relaxed aura as he ran. He appeared as though he could run for days. When I run my face is filled with a grimace as if I am in the midst of a kidney stone bout.

For my next two races I must sacrifice pace and make a very concerted effort to conserve my energy in order to finish the races. I believe purposefully breathing deeply will help to eliminate my recent side stitch issue. I have to throw away my plans for goal paces by kilometer and rededicate myself to getting to the finish line without walking. Most of all I need to relax more while I run.

Big Kahuna Running Races

I am purposefully oversimplifying this point, but the majority of running road races fall into either a 5K or not a 5K classification. (5K = 3.1 miles) Many small towns have adopted a 5K race as a means for generating funding for a cause which directly benefits the community or a local cause. The most difficult part of running these races is finding them via local newspapers or on the internet.

Many of these 5K races are catered by local businesses, such as Turkey Hill markets and Rita's water ice. A few even have disc jockeys playing music for the event. Most all of these races have less than 300 racers with the most prevalent field size being less than 150 runners. These are low stress events which end rather quickly, less than a half hour. Post race activities include awards presentations and occasionally a raffle for prizes. I enjoy training for 5K's because a decent training session for this race length consumes less than 45 minutes.

The big kahuna races are the marathons and half marathons. These are often featured in the monthly Runner's World magazine issues. Most of them are located in large cities and have thousands of entrants. Medals are typically awarded to every finisher of these races. I have heard of a commemorative coin being issued for some races. There are bands playing along the race route and the city's residents are providing a several thousand spectator base.

I have two big kahuna races on my schedule for September. I anticipate a plethora of unique challenges associated with these big city races. Beginning with finding parking near the event, moving toward a dearth of port-o-pot toilets, picking up half empty cups at water stations, slipping on a pile of discarded plastic cups at a water station and falling, and finally the dreaded being expectorated upon by another runner.

I typically do not run big kahuna races because the entry fees are three to five times more expensive than a typical 5K race fee, require a substantial commute and are generally longer than I typically like to run. A marathon requires nearly five hours of continuous running. However, as I have run nearly 300 miles this summer I feel I am in a position to slay these two dragons next month. It won't be pretty though.

Another Day of Adversity

I attempted to run ten kilometers yesterday and could only get to five kilometers before I succumbed to sheer exhaustion. It was a replay of what occurred on Sunday at my 10K race in Elizabethtown. I forgot to mention I had side-stitches during my last race. They subsided after five or six kilometers, but never totally left my side until after the race. Prior to this race I had not had to deal with side stitches. While I have had them when I was younger, this was the first time I had to contend with them this year.

excerpted from http://www.runnersrescue.com/Side_Stiches_Running.htm

Causes of Side Stitches

A "side stitch" is a sharp, intense pain under the lower edge of the ribcage caused by a muscle spasm of the diaphragm. Such pain can occur during vigorous exercise, such as running, and seems to occur more commonly in novice exercisers who have not yet established proper pacing and who tend to breathe more quickly and shallow. However, about 30% of all runners will experience stitches at some point. What exactly causes them? On inhalation, we take air into the lungs, pressing the diaphragm downward. When we exhale, the diaphragm moves up. If the body has some trapped air/gas below the diaphragm, if we've eaten too close to exercise, or if we start exercising too vigorously, the diaphragm may cramp, causing pain under the rib cage on the right side.

Treatment of Side Stitches

As with any muscle cramp, the best immediate treatment is to try to stretch the cramping muscle as much as possible. How do you get to the diaphragm on the inside of your body?, Try altering your breathing pattern. Take a deep breath in as quickly as you can, to force the diaphragm down. Hold the breath for a couple of seconds and then forcibly exhale through pursed lips to restrict the outward air flow. You may also find that bending forward can help you expel as much air as possible. I have actually found that stretching up as tall as I could, even to the point of extending arms up over head, then alternating crouch-tall and tightening/flexing the abs, helped as well.

You may even have to stop and walk briskly for a few seconds while concentrating on deep breathing. Continue running after the stitch goes away. If you get a cramp in the middle of a race, you might want to try mixing up your rhythmic breathing/ striding pattern. If you always exhale when your right foot strikes the ground, try exhaling with the left foot strike. The organs attached to the diaphragm on the left side of the body aren't quite as big as those on the right side, hence there is less strain on the diaphragm. Another technique that may work for some is peaceful visualization--if you are feeling stressed from the day or race, try imagining you are elsewhere, and take deep calming breaths as you run.

Excerpted from http://www.exclusivefitness.com.au

The pain of a stitch is caused by a spasm of the diaphragm muscle. The diaphragm is a dome shaped muscle that separates the lung (thoracic) cavity from the abdominal cavity. This diaphragm is the muscle that you control when you breathe. As you breathe in you are moving this muscle down thus creating a low pressure in the lungs, and atmospheric pressure doing what it does best it pushes air into the lungs, creating a breath. Opposite for breathing out, the diaphragm relaxes, and rises, and the lungs have air pressure higher than atmospheric therefore the air escapes through your mouth. Enough with the biology/physics lesson.

The rising and falling of the diaphragm almost always happens in a pattern with steps. Most people exhale when the left foot strikes the ground. As you inhale most peoples right foot strikes the ground causing the diaphragm to lower. Internal organs are attached to the diaphragm by ligaments. The liver falls with gravity as your diaphragm rises. The constant pulling on the diaphragm muscle and the ligaments that are attached to the internal organs causes the pain of a side stitch.

With all that out of the way we'll talk about ways to fix side stitches. The best way to stop the pain is to stop or lessen the activity that caused the side stitch originally. That being the least practical as exercise is really important to do another way is to alter your breathing pattern. If you are one of the people that exhale when the left strikes the ground exhale when the right strikes the ground. Another is to push your hand into your right side under the ribs inhale and then exhale through pursed lips a few times. One of these remedies should lessen the pain so you can continue. As a preventive measure, take deep, full breaths while you are running. Remember not to take shallow breaths, as the diaphragm is constantly raised which is stretching those ligaments.

Adversity and Resiliency

I was watching a pre-season Monday night football game between the New York Jets and the Baltimore Ravens when one of the commentators, Jon Gruden made an interesting remark about the New York Jets quarterback. The Jets quarterback is named Mark Sanchez. He played his college football at the perennial powerhouse, the University of Southern California.

Because the QB Sanchez played for an elite team and had an excellent offensive line protecting him, Jon Gruden implied he had not experienced much adversity in his collegiate career. Jon made the statement he wanted to see the rookie Jets quarterback experience some adversity and then see how he reacted. He mentioned a successful quarterback in the NFL needs to be resilient and have a short term memory. By short term memory he meant forget about your mistakes and move on - although you don't want to repeat your mistakes either.

I was absolutely rancid in my last 10K race. I could not have performed more poorly had I tried. I need to bounce back for my next race, a twenty kilometer race. I have a fortnight to prepare for this race. I am struggling with striking a balance with my intestinal fortitude toward wanting to accomplish finishing the race and the physiological reality of how capable I am of achieving this goal. We'll see how my training progresses these next two weeks.

Notes: I had my wife take a couple of pics with me decked out in my running duds. Let's just say I should not be wearing short shorts and a tank top yet. I really need to do some strength training over the winter to tone my muscles. It was nice I didn't look six months pregnant though, i.e., no signs of a pot belly.

Elizabethtown Twilight Trot 10K Results

I had a major problem on Saturday afternoon with a horrendous throbbing pain emanating from the base of a tooth on my upper gum. The pain was debilitating and intense. In order to sleep Saturday night I had to take pain pills left over from a kidney stone bout of mine several years ago. The pills did not work for alleviating the pain associated with my kidney stones although they worked well for my toothache/gum pain.

I awoke Sunday morning to find the left side of my face swollen from an infection within my gums. It was not slightly swollen. It was facial disfigurement swollen. Because my body was actively engaged in fighting this infection my blood pressure was escalated, on the order of 180 / 120.

I did not want to withdraw from this race because I had trained fairly rigorously and was confident I could do well. I also was not convinced there would be any correlation between my gum infection and my ability to run effectively. Finally, the weather was nice with the temperatures in the low 80's and the humidity was bearable.

My family and I drove to the Masonic homes campus in Elizabethtown. This is a beautiful place to see. There are colorful flower gardens and the buildings are all made of stone which give them a regal character. There also is an abundance of trees which provided a small amount of shade on the course. My eldest son Dylan was genuinely impressed by the natural beauty of the grounds. We had just found and old digital camera for him and he was taking lots of pictures.

This was a smaller event, maybe one hundred runners. The course turned out to be the most challenging I have run to date due to the number of hills. In fact, I believe of the 6.2 miles of this course you would be hard pressed to find one flat mile of course in total.

The first four kilometers of the race was consisted of a series of up hill climbs. I completely exhausted my energy reserves during the third kilometer of the hill climbs. This should have been my first indication I was not physically in a condition to run this race. Two kilometers is 1.2 miles and three kilometers in 1.8 miles. I have never tired this early in a race, although I don't believe I have tackled a two mile long climb on a course or in training.

As much time as I have dedicated to beginning races slower in an effort to preserve energy I failed once again as I ran the first kilometer in 4:59. The combination of fending off an oral infection, poor personal race management and a tough hilly course yielded my worst effort of the year. I took an hour and four minutes to complete this 10K race. I completed a 10K training run in under 56 minutes this past week. I need to write this race off as a venture I should not have participated in due to my compromised health.

I was terribly dejected after the race. I need to redouble my efforts and become a smarter runner if I have any chance of completing my 20K race in two weeks. Fortunately the next race is billed as a very flat course with only two hills on the 12.4 mile (20K) course.

I was prescribed antibiotics today to address my infection. I will be getting a root canal early next week to remedy my current ill.

Practice 10K Pace Run

I decided to run a very short 2K pacing run this morning in an effort to try and learn how fast a 5:15 / km pace feels like. Not surprisingly I began the run with too fast a pace at nearly 4:15 per kilometer. I had to back off substantially to get down to my goal 5:15 /km pace.


I completed the first kilometer in 5:04 and the second in 4:58. I definitely have an issue with increased adrenaline at the start of my races and this practice session is a confirmation of this problem. The 5:00 / km pace felt good, i.e., it felt like a sustainable pace. The question lies in how long can I sustain this pace.

2009 Racing Season End is Nearing

I began my running racing season the first week in May in Reading at what turned out to be my smallest race of the year, the Winning Kick 5K. I finished the race in 26 minute 58 seconds. I posted a 23 minute and 20 second time for my last 5K race in early August, the Run for Reading 5K in Mechanicsburg. Five kilomters has become my race length of choice so far this season. I have shown decent improvement over this duration and it does not consume an excess of my time training for 5K's.

I have yet to complete my scheduled September races of 20K and a half marathon (21.1K). These longer races will have a much different character than the 5K and 10K races I have run to date.

First and foremost there will be thousands of racers for each event. Because these are longer events, runner congestion should dissipate by mile marker two or three. Since there are so many more people than my typical races, I anticipate the miles will go by quicker because of all of the visual interaction with the runners. You have to keep an eye on racers around you to make sure your lane is open ahead of you. In the course of doing so you often notice some 'character' runners such as folks running with flags or other self-promotional paraphernalia. On occasion, you will see a runner wearing a tribute message to a deceased love one on their shirt.

Another difference will be the number of spectators lining the roads at these races. Each race is expected to have 15,000+ spectators supporting the runners. In many ways these two races are city-wide festivals where the locals engage in what amounts to be a very large party.

My first running racing season is scheduled to end in late September. Although my last two races are not my forte distances, I believe they will be very memorable lifetime events both for myself and my family.

Note: I just went over 250 miles for the year on my Mizuno Wave Rider 12 sneakers. They are holding up remarkably well with no tears in the uppers or any indication of substantial wear on the soles.

Elizabethtown Twilight Training Finished

I completed an 8K (~ five mile) run this morning with the temperature in the low 70's and a fine misty rain. I completed this run in about 44 minutes, or an 8:48 / mile = 5:28 /km pace. I felt very good throughout the run. Premature fatigue due to excessive humidity or high temperatures was not a factor.

I have decided my goal pace will be five minutes and fifteen seconds per kilometer ( equivalent to an 8:27 / mile pace). This would yield a time of about 52 minutes and 40 seconds, nearly seven minutes quicker than my June 14th Classic 10K race in New York.

The forecasted temperature for Sunday evening is in the high 70s's with a slight possibility of rain. I will definitely wear my new racing flats, Mizuno's Ronin 2's, for this race. I am rethinking whether I am going to use them for my two 12+ mile runs in September. I would be in for an unwelcome surprise if I developed shin-splints or the like at mile marker eight in one of these races due to the diminished cushioning ability of these shoes. I will be fine running ten kilometers with these shoes.

Fridays are typically a day off for me. Taking it easy on Saturday and the majority of Sunday should serve to allow my internal energy packs to be fully charged at race time.

I am not a die hard fan of carbohydrate loading before a race, but I do like to have spaghetti for a meal once in the days before I race. This practice hasn't reached the status of a pre-race ritual. I can't say I have any quirky race day habits.

Perils of Long Distance Running

In the course of training for races over five kilometers (3.1 miles) I have been relegated to running primarily on local roads within town. Previously I have been training at the local track at the Palmyra Middle School. I prefer training at the local track for a variety of reasons.

Having been a resident of Palmyra for nearly forty years, I have witnessed first hand the growth of the town from a small laid back working blue collar town to a more hectic and more densely populated white collar town it is today. As the town has grown both in terms of several new home developments and the number of large retailers establishing a footprint here, the more the aura of a big town environment has taken hold.

I have to qualify this statement. If you are coming from a big city to Palmyra, you are likely to categorize the town as a small town with a dearth of dining and shopping options. Big or small is relative to your life experience base.

Running on the roads through town has proven to be more of a headache than an exercise in recharging my battery or soul searching while traversing the towns byways. Living on the extreme west side of town I first cut a path eastward toward the eastern perimeter of town. To get to the eastern perimeter I have to cross through four high traffic intersections.

Once I get to the perimeter I am essentially running along farm land and open fields. This is the most peaceful part of the run from an intersection basis, but now I must contend with cars traveling in excess of 45 mile per hour. I run against traffic. If I am going to get hit by a car, I want to see it coming at me. Most people give me room on the shoulder of the road to run, but occasionally you have someone who will not move over an inch to grant you space. Another road running issue is the occasional dead animal in various states of decay lying on the road.

In contrast, running on the local track eliminates dedicating any mental faculties toward self preservation and enables you to focus on the task at hand, training. The surface is grippy and soft. The track is designed for running. Roads were designed for vehicular traffic, not foot traffic. An occasional inconsiderate driver will remind me of this fact.

While running on the track there's also an iota of becoming absorbed in role playing. I sometimes envision myself as part of a fictitious major track event complete with people in the stands. I daydream I am rounding the last turn and sprinting home toward the finish line as I am running. At a race or two I did finish the run on a running track with a small number of spectators in attendance. Anything goes for finding sources for increasing your motivation.

Elizabethtown Twilight Trot 10K training

I have completed over 26 miles (42km) in training runs since the Run for Reading 5K race I ran on August 8th. I currently have a solid 5K foundation, i.e., my legs can withstand the physical duress of running five kilometers. I completed a training 10K (6.2 miles) run this morning in 55 minutes and 22 seconds. This translates to an 8:54 / mile or 5:32 / km pace. While this pace is by no means a fast one, I believe I am ready for the 10K now. My primary concern for this race is to avoid embarrassment by not being able to run the entire ten kilometers. This should not be an issue now, weather permitting. This race matches my longest race length of the year.

My last 10K race, the Classic 10K in Middletown New York on June 14th, was my worst performance of the year, finishing in 59 minutes and 34 seconds. I have shaved over four minutes off this time per my training run this week. I would love to run the Classic 10K race next year in under 50 minutes.

The Twilight Trot race is scheduled to be run at 6:30 pm on Sunday. It is sponsored by GEARS or the Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation & community Services. Chances are the temperature will be in the mid 80's. The tolerable or intolerable run determinant will be the humidity level. I get the impression this will be a hilly course. Since E-town is only 15-20 minutes away, the commute will not be an issue. I believe my family will be in attendance for this race.

If you extrapolate from my last 5K performance of 23 minutes and 21 seconds using the McMillanRunning.com website, I should be able to run a 48 minutes 28 second 10K race. This assumes I will only slow down 16 seconds per kilometer for ten kilometers in comparison to my recorded 5K pace. It also assumes I have sufficiently trained for a 10K. I would regard this time as a best case scenario.

Barring excessive temperatures or humidity or a course with excessively hilly terrain, I believe I can break 53 minutes for this 10K race. We'll see the role my increased adrenaline and new racing shoes will play in the outcome of this next race.

Notes: Exactly forty days until I run my first half marathon. My weight has dipped slightly below 190 pounds as I begin to log longer trainer runs. I had mentioned previously I wanted to be down to 184 pounds on half marathon race day. I was at 188 pounds this morning.

Thirteen miles is a long way

I just completed creating a half marathon course on http://www.gmap-pedometer.com within the confines of Palmyra and then bike riding the 13.1 mile course to get a perspective as to how long a run the half marathon will be. I rode the course on my Trek mountain bike and it required 1 hour and 7 minutes to complete.

I have been dedicating a fair amount of resources to determining what my pace should be throughout the 20K and half-marathon races. After experiencing first hand the magnitude of what I need to physically achieve by running for nearly two hours, I need to refocus on completing the race without hurting myself via cramped legs, sheer exhaustion, dehydration or any other malady.

I should be in a good position to fair well at my 10K race in Elizabethtown on August 23rd. I have been completed several runs recently in the 10-13K range. However, doubling my race length to 20K some two weeks later will prove to be a major challenge. My fate will largely be determined by how well my body holds up to my forthcoming long distance training runs of 15K to 20K.

I enjoy running from about thirty to forty-five minutes at a time. Once I begin to do runs in excess of one hour I find my running enthusiasm levels incur a substantial decline. There probably is a strong correlation between my current ability to run for over an hour and my enthusiasm.

I have days where I feel as though I can conquer the half marathon with confidence and others like today where I am asking myself what in God's name am I running for so long.

Disciplined Pacing

One aspect of road racing which has become increasingly apparent as I run more races is the need to formulate a pre-race pace strategy and then maintain a disciplined pace throughout the race. I have ruined more 5K times by coming out of the gates too fast and consequently having my pace slow to a turtle's crawl at the end of the race.

My next three races are a 10k , a 20 K, and a half marathon (21.1K). These translate to 6.2, 12.4 and 13.1 miles. My training regimen is currently targeted at developing sufficient endurance to finish these races. As much as I try to convince myself I can maintain a fast pace through these longer duration races, my first priority is to finish the race.

I want to make these races as enjoyable as possible. I believe it's good to set goals, such as my goal pace, but I don't want to put myself in a position where I'll be dejected or demoralized if I don't meet them.

A 20K race is equivalent to running four 5K races consecutively in one day. There's something to be said for being in a condition for even attempting this feat. A motivator for both the 20K and half marathon races is there will be over ten thousand spectators for each event as these races are being held in major cities. My eldest son will race with me at the 20K event, in a kids aged 6-12 years old half mile run. I am looking forward to having the father & son running photo taken that day.

Using the 20K race as an example, I will have to determine what my pace will be for twenty kilometers. After the race, I will have an average pace recorded. Problem is, I do not see myself running the same pace for all twenty kilometers.

Here's what I may believe may be more realistic pacing goals ...

Kilometers 1-5 : 5:00 minutes per km
Kilometers 6-10 : 5:10 minutes per km
Kilometers 11-15 : 5:25 minutes per km
Kilometers 16-20 : 5:45 minutes per km

This averages to a 5:20 minutes per kilometer pace or a 1:46:35 20K time. I would regard this set of pacing goals as a best case scenario. It assumes low humidity and a reasonable temperature on race day.

I am not sure how lowering my 'pace goal bar' four times throughout the race will help, but my initial sentiment is it could help to get myself mentally and physically to the next quarter of the race where I will then be allowed to slow down and yet achieve my overall race goal.

Run for Reading 5K Results

Last Friday afternoon I noticed there was a local 5K race in Mechanicsburg. The race was to be held the next morning at 8:30 am. I found the race on a great web site named http://www.runningintheusa.com which lists running races by state.

I had a terrible night's sleep Friday night. Not because I was nervous about the race, but due to kidney stone issues. Whenever I suffer from a kidney stone bout, the pain starts as a general thoracic pain and become more acute over time. The statistical bell curve is an accurate representation of the pain. Fortunately the pain never escalated into an acute pain.

In any event, I awoke Saturday morning not particularly refreshed and still sore from my 15K run on Thursday. I had decided I wanted to set a 4:48 minute per kilometer pace in order to break twenty four minutes for the 5K. My previous recorded 5K PR was 24:50.

This course had a unique layout, almost barbell shaped. There were two loops, each around a separate small playground / park joined by a road connecting the loops. It was very flat except for mile two, which had a gradual incline.

This was the first race where I ran with my new racing shoes, Mizuno Ronin 2's. They have excellent traction on the road surface and are very form fitting. Because they are a very bright orange, I did get a glance or two at my shoes.

The event was well organized, from registration to the course markings. In a twist of irony, the bib number I was assigned was number 448. This was the pace per km I had determined I wanted to accomplish before I had arrived at the race. 4:48 per kilometer for five kilometers equates to a 24:00 even finish time. It was sunny and there looked to be about 125-150 participants.

I had my Garmin Forerunner watch set up to display three data fields; last lap pace, overall pace and race length. I purposely omitted the race time because I wanted to maintain a pace as opposed to shooting for a time. If I met each of my pace goals by kilometer, my overall time goal would naturally follow.

I prefer running by kilometer instead of by mile. The reason is since the kilometer is smaller than the mile, I get pace 'report cards' from my watch much more frequently and can make the appropriate adjustments.

Here were my five kilometer splits - 4:48 minutes per km was my goal

Km 1 - 4:24
Km 2 - 4:35
Km 3 - 4:53
Km 4 - 4:48
Km 5 - 4:38

Overall avg pace - 4:40 per km
I hit my pace goal on four of five kilometers.

The mile splits were
Mile 1 - 7:09
Mile 2 - 7:51
Mile 3 - 7:37

Overall avg pace - 7:31 per mile

By my watch I finished in 23 minutes and 20 seconds. The official race results will be posted on http://www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/index.aspx?nid=92 in about a week.

The third kilometer was primarily uphill and I knew I was losing ground on my pace throughout this segment. My typical race 5K pattern is to run out gas for the fourth and fifth kilometers. This race was atypical in that I had a 5K gas tank, complete with a small 100 -200 yard kick at the end of the race.

I would attribute my performance to my recent long distance runs and beginning a strength training regimen centered upon my core muscles of abs, back and hips. As much as i would like to believe the shoes were a driving force, I do not believe they contributed much to my efforts. They were comfortable, light, and had excellent traction but these features do not compensate for training.

Addendum: Each of my new racing shoes weigh four ounces less than my training counterparts. This eight ounce or half pound savings may add up over the course of a race. If you have ever used a seven ounce tack hammer and a sixteen ounce regular hammer you know there's a substantial difference in the feel of the two hammers.

Training Personal Best

I decided to go for a long slow distance run yesterday (Thurs Aug 6th) as the humidity was low and the temperature was mild. My new training plan has LSD runs scheduled for a day within the weekend. I ran a total of 15 kilometers which translates to approximately 9.4 miles. This was the longest distance I have run in my lifetime.

I did not look at my watch until the 11km mark as I was nearing my home because I was not concerned about my pace. I merely wanted to finish 15 kilometers.

My splits were as follows;

5K - 27 minutes 47 seconds -> 8:57 /mi or 5:33 /km pace
10K - 57 minutes 10 seconds -> 9:11 /mi or 5:42/km pace
15K - 1 hour 28 minutes 41 seconds -> 9:31 /mi or 5:51 pace

If check the website http://www.mcmillanrunning.com to the accuracy of it's pacing projector.

If you type in my 15K time of 1 hour 28 minutes 41 seconds the projection for my 5K time is 27 minutes 33 seconds and the 10K time is 57 minutes and 14 seconds. The mcmillanrunning web site is remarkably accurate for estimating your run times for distances you haven't raced based upon historical performances. Using this website as the gauge to project my half marathon time yields a value of 2:07:21. I have some work to do before I can break two hours.

I felt decent for the 15K run up until the 12K mark. The last three kilometers of this run were very difficult and transpired at a much slower pace than the first twelve. By my calculations I completed the last three kilometers at a 6:30 /km pace ~(10:30/mile).

Running Gear - My Perspective

I have been running for nearly six months this year and have accumulated some experiences related to running accessories.

Not surprisingly, the most important piece of running equipment is the running shoe. There are several classifications of running shoe. Stability, Motion Control, Neutral Cushioned, Racing to name a few. When I initially began my training I weighed 215 pounds. Conventional wisdom directed heavier runners toward stability shoes. My first pair of shoes were the Saucony Progrid CS Stabils. Because they have additional support built into the sole, they are a very heavy and cumbersome shoe. My next pair of shoes, Mizuno Wave Rider 12's, were neutral cushioned shoes. They are much lighter and have proven to be a very comfortable training shoe.

I recently purchased a racing shoe, the Mizuno Ronin 2. (pictured above) This is an extremely lightweight shoe with minimal cushioning. I intend to only use these for races. I test drove these shoes today at the Palmyra track this morning. One strange shoe feature surfaced. While I was running the uppers proved to be very breathable. I could feel air passing through the shoe and cooling my toes. I will again test drive these shoes on the road this Saturday to determine if I will blister on long runs.

I have several synthetic moisture wicking shirts. While I do believe they are more comfortable than cotton shirts, you still must contend with a shirt prone to becoming drenched with perspiration at the conclusion of a long run. In essence, you accumulate sweat quicker than the synthetic shirt can dissipate the sweat. Both cotton and synthetic shirts absorb and retain perspiration, but since the synthetic shirts are much lighter they do not retain as much perspiration.

Synthetic socks are much more comfortable than cotton socks. Cotton socks create excessive friction over the course of a long run. The soles of your feet can become very irritated and turn red from the abrasion. I must admit I found a capable pair of Starter brand synthetic socks at Walmart for less than $3.00 a pair. Synthetic socks generally run from ten to twenty dollars a pair. Synthetic socks also tout a moisture wicking feature, but it's been my experience it's more hype than fact. My synthetic socks are drenched after a long run. The major benefit of a synthetic sock is the lack of skin irritation due to minimal abrasion from the sock.

I have running shorts which have pockets and are of a length which runs halfway down my thigh for training runs. I also have running shorts where nearly all of your leg is exposed and would be regarded as short-shorts. Once my chicken legs become more athletic looking I will wear the short shorts more frequently. Currently, I regard these as race shorts because you have slightly better freedom of movement while running. Their is no rubbing of materials on your inner thighs as you stride throughout a run with the short shorts.

Running is a very affordable endeavor to partake in from both a training and competition perspective.

Running & Travel

One attraction of pursuing running as an avocation is the potential for travel. The are 5K races held in every state in our area on almost every weekend from April through November. Fortunately, our family loves to travel. Our only hindrance, which I imagine most families must contend with is a scarcity of disposable funds available for travel.

Traveling with our two year old is very difficult. He requires constant monitoring as he opens every door, plays with every electrical outlet, generally wreaks havoc. Our oldest son, who is six, loves to stay in hotel rooms. In about three years, once our two year old turns five, traveling should become much less taxing.

I am already looking forward to next year and possibly resurrecting my goal of completing a marathon. Financially, 2010 will be a very tough year for our family. However, it's been my experience if you set a goal and direct each day's efforts toward attaining the goal, you will eventually realize your goal. The key is to persistently maintain focus on the goal.

Back to the present. In the very near future, we will be traveling to Canada for my half marathon race. On the way, we will visit Niagara Falls. I have never been there. I believe it will be one of those places you experience where you can't help believe there's a God above to create such an awesome spectacle.

July 09 in Review

July was a month where I rebounded from the injuries which plagued me the previous month. I did not miss one training day or race in July due to an injury. I entered and completed four races in July. Also, I trained an additional fifteen times. In total, I ran nineteen times for a total of 80 miles in July.

This July in south-central Pennsylvania was a very mild one. Very rarely did I run in 90+ degree weather or humid conditions. I remember reading somewhere in a running magazine when the temperature and humidity add up to a value over 152, you must take the proper precautions to avoid heat stroke related issues. It hinted the humidity level was the primary contributor to runners miscalculating their ability to withstand the demands of a run.

I ran a variety of race lengths in July. A 4K, a 5K, a 5 miler, and a one miler. I have to say without question, my one mile time of 6 minutes and 54 seconds in the Miller's Mutual Mile in Harrisburg was my best performance to date. I feel I have made substantial progress in terms of solidifying a foundation necessary for building upon to address the longer training runs facing me this August.

While there are many 5K races available in August, I need to dedicate my training to much longer runs of 10K and above. I passed up a race in Dewey Beach Delaware on August 1st called the Venus on the Half Shell 5K. The race was featured in a recent issue of the Runner's World magazine. My grandparents-in-law have a beach house in Rehobeth Delaware and invited us to stay for the weekend. I also passed up a race on Saturday August 1st called the Sunset Stretch 5K in Middletown.

I am looking forward to incorporating strength training into my regimen as I feel I currently have the morphology of a stick figure man. Strengthening my core (abs-back) and my legs should aid in lowering my pace splits for my longer runs in August.

First LSD Day run

On Saturday I committed myself to running at a sustainable pace for a road circuit I had mapped out to be in the vicinity of seven miles in length. Typically when I run on the road I have a minimum pace I like to sustain throughout the run. In the 1994 movie Speed starring Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock a bus has been rigged with a bomb to blow up if the speed of the bus falls below 50 mph.

Because I typically monitor my pace for my road runs, I don't get to fully enjoy running for running's sake. In effect, I create an anxiety pool, which gets more shallow and deeper as my pace fluctuates above and below my goal pace.

The purpose of the Long Slow Distance run is to run at a comfortable pace for a duration which incrementally exceeds your previous personal best. Much to my surprise, because I paid absolutely no attention to my pace and ran at a very comfortable pace I was able to run 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) almost effortlessly. I ran very early in the morning and consequently heat and humidity did not adversely impact my performance.

Prior to the run I had configured my watch to display stats in metric. I need to acclimate myself to how quickly kilometers roll by while running as well as locking in on my half marathon goal 5:41 per km pace. I am about a mile away from my house, in front of the community pool, and I decide to look at my watch to see how far I have run. I glance down and see a 10.o on my watch. For whatever reason, I am under the impression I have run 10 miles and decide i am going to run another two miles because I still feel fresh.

The last two miles (kilometers) of the run I am all but giddy that I was capable of running twelve miles. This meant I only had to up my personal best long run by 1.1 to get me to my half marathon race length. I could run 13.1 miles for my LSD runs for the majority of August because I was already there.

My bubble burst when I uploaded my data from my Garmin Forerunner to my laptop and it reported my run was only 7.46 miles long. While this was longer than my previous best of 6.2 miles, I had plenty in my tank when I quit running. I sprinted the last 0.25 kilometer of my run.

I figured out how to have my watch automatically record my time at the conclusion of each kilometer. This will serve to give me a 'last lap' kilometer pace reading throughout my half marathon race.

My average pace for this run was 5 minutes and 51 seconds per kilometer (9:26 per mile). This pace translates roughly to a 2:03:30 half marathon time.

Using the equivalent performances chart on http://www.mcmillanrunning.com, I need to average a 5:23 per kilometer pace for a total of 54 minutes within my next 10K race in order to equate to a 2 hr half marathon time. I think I can hit 54 minutes and change. Shaving five and a half minutes off of my 10K PR will be a tall order to fill.