Saturday, June 27, 2009

Blazing Fast Runners

Well, I don't know about blazing fast, but it sure has been blazing hot out there. Monday we did hill sprints when it was 98 degrees. To cool everyone off, I brought a jug of ice water with sponges. We sponged off after every couple of sprints, and that kept us reasonably cool. Still, we had two runners who were dizzy and nauseated, so they did not complete the 6 sprints. Next Monday will be 8 sprints. I hope it is not quite so hot.

I was too busy to run on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday I was in Little Rock and didn't make it back to Tulsa until 6:30, so I sorta missed the group run. I was heading out just as a lot of people were returning, so I did get to see a bunch of my friends. The planned workout was 2 x 2 mile repeats. It was real close to 100 degrees, and I didn't know how it would affect me, but I decided if I could do each 2 miles in under 16 minutes, I would be happy. My times were 14:54 and 15:35 with about a 2-3 minute active rest. Plus the mile warm up and cool down made it a little over 6 miles.

Friday was an off day for running, but I did ride my bike for about 12 miles as I chalked Saturday's 7 mile and 4 mile routes.

Saturday I ran about 9.5 miles with the group. Temperature was in the 80s, and it was humid. I finished the run dripping with sweat. The first 7 miles were a little hilly, and the last 3 were flat. The mile splits were 8:21, 8:15, 7:57, 8:39, 8:00, 8:10, and 8:17. Hayley set the pace for about the first 3.5 miles. When she split off from the group on Denver I walked a little to recover. That explains the 8:39 for mile 4. Average pace for the 7 was 8:14. Now, if I can keep that pace up for 26 miles, I can make it to Boston. I ran another 2 miles with Paul at closer to a 9 minute pace and then another stretch to the bathroom alone - at a rapid pace. Whew! Barely made it!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

First Interval Session

Today was the first interval session this season for the RunnersWorld Tulsa training groups. A bunch of us braved the 94 degree heat as we ran an easy 2 miles to I44 & Riverside and then did 6 x 800 meters followed by another easy 2 miles back to the store. I had a great time, and I think everyone else did too, although some people made threats of doing me bodily harm.

Everyone ran their own pace. The suggested pace was to run their marathon goal time (sort of). So, if their goal time is 3 hrs and 35 minutes, for example, then they would run each 800 meters in 3 minutes and 35 seconds. For recovery between intervals, we rested for about 3 minutes.

My aim was to keep each 800 meters between 3:20 and 3:35. Here are my results:
3:22, 3:27, 3:29, 3:27, 3:24, 3:18

I finished feeling pretty good, like I could have run several more at that pace.

On another note, my daughter, Becky, left today for Guatemala for a short term medical mission. Pray that all goes well.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Another Week of Training

After last week's Monday night hill training, I felt a little sluggish for a couple of days. Tuesday and Wednesday at noon I just did 4 easy miles. By Thursday I was feeling better and did a 4 mile tempo run @ about a 7:45 per mile pace.

Thursday evening I ran with Kaci and Paul. We started from RunnersWorld and did the Zink Lake loop and back to the store, a total of 8.7 miles at between an 8:30 and 9:00 pace. After that I stopped at McDonalds and ate a double cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate shake, and then I ran a couple more miles through downtown with Kathy and a few others. That made about 15 miles for the day

Saturday was a 7 mile run with the "Ethiopian Elites." Brian, Fred, Kurt, Hayley, Zach, Brian H., Paul, and I all started out together. Fred, Hayley, and Zach went on ahead and missed the turn at 11th, and Brian and Kurt were close behind, but they made the turn. Brian H., Paul, and I fell behind a little. The humidity was really getting to me. When we caught up with the half marathoners, I took the welcome opportunity to walk a bit and chat with Firepants. At the end of the run I wrung out my shirt, and I'm sure at least a cup of sweat came out. Average pace for Brian H., Paul and I was 8:37. The others were much faster. Miles for the week = 38.

Monday I did an easy 4 at lunch. It's hard to do any more than an easy run in this heat (90+ degrees). Then our hill training group met in the evening. Janice, Megan, Leslie, Ashley, Kaci, Paula, Kevin, Jarrett, Jeff, and I jogged an easy 2 miles to warm up and then did 4 sprints up the hill (a few of us did a 5th sprint). The cool down jog was more of a walk. Afterwards I drove to the park at 56th and Riverside to count the white marks that are 100 meters apart on the River Parks trail. Turns out that from the water fountain just south of Hwy 44 to just past the restroom at 56th is 800 meters. Perfect for our interval training on Thursday!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Saturday and Monday Report

Saturday we started training for the Route 66 Marathon. I was assigned to the fast group, with goals of anywhere from 3:15 to 3:45. I am the slowpoke of the bunch. We call ourselves the "Ethiopian Elites." On Saturday Brian, Brian, Kurt, Fred, and I did 6 miles at a pretty relaxed pace, averaging about 8:30 per mile.

Brian, Fred, Jarrett, Holly, Paula, and I tackled that big grassy hill at 11th and Riverside on Monday evening. I forgot my camera, but next post I hope to have a picture. We started out with 2 miles of easy running to warm up, and then followed that with 3 all out sprints up the hill. After each sprint we walked down the hill and rested a couple of minutes to fully recover.

Fred and Brian started a little before the rest of us, and I think they did something like six sprints up the hill. I bet their legs will be sore tomorrow!

After the sprints, we did another 2 miles at an "easy" pace. I say easy, but I never really quite recovered from the sprints until we were almost finished.

It was a lot of fun, and it will really help us in our running. I hope more people can join us. Our next hill sprint training will be next Monday at 11th & Riverside at 5:45 p.m. We park in the parking lot at the top of the hill. There are plenty of spaces!