A Balance, Redefined

So the day finally came. I raced again. It was more of a time trial but I took it as a race, with normal morning ritual and warm-up. I’ve now done 4 of these large meeting races and the competition is very hit or miss. Sometimes random ringers will show up and the winner could be in the low 16s or it could be a different mix and the winner could be in the low 19s. Today was a bit more of the later.

I managed a full 6hr of sleep by going to sleep right after my dinner out. I woke up exactly 3min before my alarm so that was good. Then headed over to Jackson Square. I ran the mile from my hotel and then some of the course, did a bunch of striders and then lined up. There were a couple of guys that looked like they could go but I didn’t see that low-16 guy from two yrs ago. It was already pretty warm (70) and humid at the 6:30am start, but not too bad for New Orleans in June.

I actually false started a step so I went back let a couple people pass and then started. I took it out a bit quick and was in the lead by 100m. I stayed there from this point. For about the first half mile there was a guy about 10 steps behind. I let up a little to see if he would catch up so we could run together but he kept his distance the same so I decided I was on my own and just pushed on.

Mile 1 – 5:26 HR 185

Mile 2 – 5:40 HR 190

Mile 3 – 5:45 HR 191

Change – 0:49 HR 194

I forgot to stop my watch until the end of the shoot. My Garmin 17:40 Distance 3.15 Avg. 5:36 HR 189. Official 17:37. I ran back to some of the people that had come with to the meeting and walked them in. It was their first 5K experience. One ended up running most of the way and the other walked it. But it is a start. The one who ran in really seemed to have fun with it and I think we may have a convert. After the post race video interview I ran with the 3^rd place guy back toward the convention center and then the rest of the way to the hotel. In all 3+ warm up and 3+ cool down.

It was nice to be in the running mindset again. Obviously from HR info I was pushing but from pace info I still have a way to go before I’m fully back.  The best news is that my knee is no worse for the wear. Now I’m going to work on my next manuscript for a couple hours before heading back to the conference center for the afternoon sessions.

Late night last night. Went to dinner with a lab from Japan and it was fun traversing the language barrier. Didn't get in until almost 1am then up at 6:30am for a run before a full day of meeting. This time I ran the other direction and it totally made the difference. It was very scenic much cleaner and a ton of fun. Except when I fell :(... I was going around a garbage can and there was a bed frame that clipped my toe. I mostly just hurt my pride but it had to have been a good spill, I was going about 7:00 pace at the time and two cars stopped to ask me if I was ok. Luckily there was a gas station there for me to wash out the wounds and get some bandaids. My right arm took most of it and my knees were protected so it was good. Made it to the zoo from the convention center and there is a really nice park there. Lots of squirrels and parrots around. Also, at my turn around I stopped to watch some of the water fowel along the shore. The meeting is now over for me. Today was useful, a number of interesting talks and one very good networking conversation with the person who discovered one of the proteins I study. Avg. 7:20 HR 154

Recovery day. I was pushing a little too hard. I tried to go to sleep early but it didn't work and then I was up before my alarm (3am mountain). I don't really sleep in vehicles so just tried to do a little work on the plane. Then after getting home and playing with the girls for a little I crashed for two hours. 

Kristen was just too excited to have her daddy back and would not go to sleep. When finally down she woke up two additional times. Fortunately I went to sleep extra early so still managed a good cumulative sleep. The day was a little foggy, Mondays are always that way and after returning from a trip usually slightly worse. Good news is I was just training a new student I got to help me out. Tomorrow I will really get back "to it". The run was City Creek. I felt like a social butterfly as I saw both Robin M and Chad D on the run. I was very sore from the days before though and just shuffled along. I didn't really take into account all the extra walking the last few days. I would say there were at a minimum 5-6 extra miles of walking each day at the meeting. Avg. 8:52 HR 132

Getting back to it. Ok sleep. Up three times but each was very brief for me thanks to my wife. Out for the run before 6am now on to a full day. Just the Memory Grove loop from work. Avg. 8:53 HR 132

A good start to the end of the week. The weather was perfect this

morning. I took the road over to City Creek 3.5 mi then up and back via the first three miles of the Steeplechase course and then down Dry Creek. The course was well marked on the section I ran. However, be careful out there tomorrow Jon as it was pretty sloppy with all the rain. A number of spots with standing water. The mountain is just so beautiful this time of the year though with all the green and flowers. It is hard to believe that in a month it will all be dead and dry. Avg. 9:32 HR 135

Thought about doing another 5K this morning also thought I would like to be at the Steeplechase. However, I don't want to push my luck. Really it has only been a couple weeks without knee pain and I'm just happy to be in the 60s again. I opted for a workout. This is the same home loop that I often do. Last time I pushed it was as a time trial on April 28th in a 17:38, though last weekend was a 17:37 this is a much faster course and the effort last weekend would easily put me under 17. My plan was to run 2x5K at just under 18 each so "relatively easy". The loop is 6.2 and on the 2nd loop I added some around SugarHouse and random neighborhood to get my mileage goal for the week. Here's the breakdown.
1mi warmup, still half asleep
First 5K
5:56 dwn Sunnyside
5:54 dwn 13th E to 15th S
5:48 dwn 13th E to 21st S
0:39 up 21st S
TOTAL 18:17 a little slow but not bad (3.11 mi)
~3mi recovery
Second 5K, slightly different start a little up b/f the dwn
5:59 a little on Foothill first
5:45
5:58
0:41 still on 13th, should have been faster
TOTAL 18:13 consistent but I obviously have not been working on speed (3.11 mi).
Remaining cooldown except for one surge in SugarHouse. I came up on a guy and said hi as I was about to pass him. Instead of saying hi back he started to surge to pull ahead of me again. Well my competitive nature took over and I threw in a 200 m surge by the time I turned around he was gone.
Avg. 7:19 HR 156

First time on the first page of the mileage board since Aug '08 on a Sat evening, not sure if it will hold after all the Sat runs are updated but it is nice to see progress in the recovery...