I decided to run the Mercer Island 10k pretty much the night before the event. I had just raced a 5k the previous weekend and had a full week of running with a couple medium long (12~14) mile runs already. I have built up to a pretty good base so far this year and really should be transitioning to speed work about now. In a way races are speed work though!
This race was run along with a half marathon and a 5k to benefit colon cancer testing and research. I paid the most huge entry ($45) I've ever heard of for a 10k to get in too, but I figured it was for a good cause. The weather was cloudy, a little occasional drizzle, and around 50* for the start. The course is fairly hilly and features road, sidewalk, paved, and unpaved paths, and lots of tight turns including two 180* out and back turnarounds. So it's not a fast course! Since I hadn't tapered for this race and I'd run a race last weekend I really didn't know what to expect for a time. My goal was to go out at a less than breakneck speed and see what the course would give. Since I knew I wouldn't be setting any PRs here I raced a more tactical race - which can be quite fun! I've been practicing passing people such that I don't get passed back. I study the person in front of me to see how they handle the uphills versus the ensuing downhills. Do they slow on the uphill and speed the downhills? Are they fairly steady and even paced over varied terrain?
The big thing with passing other runners is to do so in a commanding fashion. If I just squeek by and stay only a little in front of them I risk them surging and re-passing me. So I pass with authority and keep the pedal down to demoralize them enough that they won't try and re-pass. It works quite well when I can handle it.
Anyway I passed a couple guys in the last half mile or so, and with a 38:57 time I ended up in 11th place overall (out of 725 runners) and 1st in my age group (of 29 total). I must qualify that result with the fact that the 10k was not horribly competitive. Most of the 'fast guys' were either running the half or weren't there. Hey, that's racing! You gotta take what you can get when you can get it!
3 miles warm up, 6.2 miles racing, 3 miles cool down for yesterday.
8 miles easy today (Monday)
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Finaghty's St. Patty's Day 5k report
Time flies when you're living! Over the last couple weeks since I last posted I've built up to about 60 running miles per week, then took a cut-back week and ran a 5k race. I also signed up for my first ultra - though it is the shortest 'ultra' distance, a 50k. It is however in the Siskiyou mountains at 6500' elevation, so that will add to the challenge. I have until July to prepare for that.
Finaghty's 5k:
Cherie, Jesse, Brendan, Shawn, and I went to Snoqualmie Ridge for the St. Patty's Day 5k on Saturday. The course is on streets, trails, and occasionally sidewalks and is a bit hilly with lots of tight turns, so it's not what I'd call a PR course. It was overcast with occasional sun breaks and rain breaks with the temperature around 40*.
Shawn, Brendan, and I ran the course as a warm up, and I had time for a couple accelerations. Then we watched the start of the kid's 1k race. It always cracks me up how the little guys and gals go out at a full blown sprint!
This early in the season my goal for the 5k was mostly to see where I was at with training and as a good fast tempo run. At the start as usual there was a small crowd of 7 to 10 year old kids at the very front. They typically go out at a full sprint then slow dramatically after a hundred yards or so and become moving obstacles.
I ran the first mile at around 5:45 pace and the second more uphill mile at around 6:10 pace. At about the two mile mark a guy with male pattern baldness passed me. Figuring he was likely in my age group I hung close though. The last half mile before the finish featured a pretty good climb followed by a short downhill to the finish. I passed the guy who'd passed me on the uphill section and powered up the hill to beat him by several seconds. This got me a 3rd place in my age group. Cherie got a 2nd place in her age group!
Finaghty's 5k:
Cherie, Jesse, Brendan, Shawn, and I went to Snoqualmie Ridge for the St. Patty's Day 5k on Saturday. The course is on streets, trails, and occasionally sidewalks and is a bit hilly with lots of tight turns, so it's not what I'd call a PR course. It was overcast with occasional sun breaks and rain breaks with the temperature around 40*.
Shawn, Brendan, and I ran the course as a warm up, and I had time for a couple accelerations. Then we watched the start of the kid's 1k race. It always cracks me up how the little guys and gals go out at a full blown sprint!
This early in the season my goal for the 5k was mostly to see where I was at with training and as a good fast tempo run. At the start as usual there was a small crowd of 7 to 10 year old kids at the very front. They typically go out at a full sprint then slow dramatically after a hundred yards or so and become moving obstacles.
I ran the first mile at around 5:45 pace and the second more uphill mile at around 6:10 pace. At about the two mile mark a guy with male pattern baldness passed me. Figuring he was likely in my age group I hung close though. The last half mile before the finish featured a pretty good climb followed by a short downhill to the finish. I passed the guy who'd passed me on the uphill section and powered up the hill to beat him by several seconds. This got me a 3rd place in my age group. Cherie got a 2nd place in her age group!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Long Sunday
My wife, Cherie, and I left the house early to get to the ferry in Seattle with our bicycles for the Chilly Hilly bike ride. The weather was cooperative and the ride was nice if a little crowded. We finished and caught the ferry back to Seattle, then stopped in Bellevue and put in a nice run, then went to the pool and swam. We didn't get home until nearly 6 pm!
I was able to get a run in Saturday with Brendan, a neighbor who coaches high school track and cross country. He's dealing with a hip issue, so we took it fairly easy. I went a little longer after Brendan called it a day and ended up with around 12 miles total. My weekly total running last week hit 52 miles. I'm about ready to start up with some long runs every other week I think - though I want to continue with my weekly hill repeat workout and track workout at least through April before committing to long distance work primarily.
Today (Monday) I did a little over 9 miles including a trip up Cedar Butte. Tomorrow will be an easy 5 or so for recovery so I'm ready for the hill repeats on Wednesday.
I was able to get a run in Saturday with Brendan, a neighbor who coaches high school track and cross country. He's dealing with a hip issue, so we took it fairly easy. I went a little longer after Brendan called it a day and ended up with around 12 miles total. My weekly total running last week hit 52 miles. I'm about ready to start up with some long runs every other week I think - though I want to continue with my weekly hill repeat workout and track workout at least through April before committing to long distance work primarily.
Today (Monday) I did a little over 9 miles including a trip up Cedar Butte. Tomorrow will be an easy 5 or so for recovery so I'm ready for the hill repeats on Wednesday.
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