track fan

June 2010

Previous MonthRecent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesBonnie's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewYear View
Graph View
Next Month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
20072008200920102011201220132014
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

Tucson,AZ,USA

Member Since:

Aug 30, 2007

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

PR's

5K: 21:26 (2005)

4 mile: 28:10 (2005)

10K: 43:33 (2010)

10 mile: 1:13:35 (2009) (1:12:15 split in 1/2 marathon, 2011)

1/2 marathon: 1:34:31 (2011)

marathon: 3:19:15 (2013)

Short-Term Running Goals:

 

3:20 marathon - Eugene Marathon, April 28, 2013 (can I say I really want a sub 3:20? but I will be happy with 3:20-3:23) -- whoohoo!

Some good intermediate races 15K - 1/2 marathon, to gauge my fitness level (done this, hit a 1:34:35 1/2 marathon in March 2013, on a hilly course)

Going after my 10 mile PR in Fall 2013

Maybe some good 10K races after the infernal Arizona summer is over! 




Long-Term Running Goals:

I want to be one of those runners who is still running in their 80s (or 90s?).  You know the ones, who look all grisley and fit?  That is what I would like!  Until then, I just want to work hard and be as fast as I can, for as long as I can.


Personal:

50 year old, trying to defy gravity and time

Used to be faculty at the University of Arizona (biostatistics).  Currently manager of the statistics and data management group for companion diagnostics (biomarkers) at Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (Roche diagnostics).  We evaluate protein biomarkers that can be used to direct drug therapy that would be most effective based on individual characteristics (personalized medicine).

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
283.000.000.000.000.00283.00
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM: (11 miles, 1:34:22). 36:23wu/36:03 cd, 3 mile Steady State run. My range is 7:16-7:30, I was expecting to be 7:30 (and I thought there was even a chance I would be in the 7:40 range because is was 80F and sunny... but Dean said, "I doubt it, just take it easy"). So I opened up with a 1:45 1/4 and said, "hey, I haven't lost too much fitness at all running slow for 3 weeks!".  Actual splits: 7:17, 7:19, 7:18.  All and all it was fun to run fast again. Originally, I was going to run this on Thursday, but Summer has arrived and by Thursday we are going to be up around 106F (probably closer to 85-90F in the morning when I run) -- so, I thought I would make use of my last "cooler" morning. Up to now things have been "uncomfortable" during my runs -- 75F and sunny feels like about 85F, not pleasant, but not dangerous like this next month (until we leave for Flagstaff) will be ... I read yesterday that 106F is 106F in the shade, and is more like 116F in the sun -- I don't know if I buy 116F, but the sun is pretty much "out" by 5AM and "up" by 8AM, and by 3PM it is pretty hard to move outside .... by the time the sun goes down even 90F is "doable" -- but that darn sun really makes it tough to be outside.

Anyway -- nice "workout", felt good ... I tried to take it pretty easy, I have nothing to gain by doing hard workouts now (and technically a lot to lose by going too hard); I think Greg just wants my legs (and body) to remember what it feels like to run a little harder.

We went up to see John Ball yesterday (magic ART guy). At first he thought I might have a stress fracture (which I did not believe) -- but then he found that it is more of the darn nerve stuff -- this time my popliteal nerve -- I have some exercises to do to help keep my muscles from getting too tight -- both my sciatic nerve (from my psoas muscles) and my popliteal (from my hamstrings) are getting inflammed because of the muscles that they run between. My stretching alone is not helping, so I need to be more diligent about rolling on the trigger point ball and doing my new exercises.

PM: (4 miles easy).

I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday (that feels like a Monday) ;-)


Comments(15)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

1:04:48.  Up the mountain.  Lately, I have had the unfortunate experience of brushing up against what I think is the same prickly pear cactus.  The reason I think it is the same one (I can't tell by looking at it, and the scenery looks about the same) is that it gets me at exactly the same place on my thigh every time.  I seem to have a perpetual rash from the tiny little cactus spikes that get embedded in my skin.  Anyway, today I managed to avoid the grabbing prickly pear.  I generally happens on a Friday, so I will see if I can outsmart it this Friday ;-).

Have a wonderful day bloggers!! 

Comments(4)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
13.000.000.000.000.0013.00

AM: (9 miles, 1:19:21). 30:32wu/29:25cd (I don't know how I ran this part faster, it is mainly 2.5 miles uphill, I guess my legs were all warmed up ;-)). 10 laps of "ins and outs"/"curves and straights" -- basically you sprint the "straights" (100 meters) and jog the "curves" (100 meters) on a 400 meter track. Whenever Greg puts these on my schedule I always say, "oh cool, these are fun", and they are. They are much more fun than if he wrote 20 x 100m w/100 recovery ;-). I have no idea how fast the 100m bits were, I kept track of the laps mainly so I would know how many I have done without thinking about it ... the 1/4s were between 1:52-1:58, they got faster as I got into it. Mainly, it was fun.

PM: (4 miles easy).

I hope you all have a great day, and to all the weekend racers (Carolyn in Colorado, Snoqualmie, April27 and Snoqualmie Ridge Runner) -- GOOD LUCK!

Comments(8)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

1:03:29.  I fought the prickly pear and I won ... no rash, no spines today! 

It is like a desert out here today ... getting hotter every day and we should be at our "normal" 108F by Monday.  Yuck.  At least right now it is tolerable in the morning. I am so glad it is Friday - although I don't really see much of a difference in weekdays and weekends right now, my grant is due in a month and I am freaking out (again).  I have two students who are working with me on projects that they will be presenting at national conferences this Fall, it is cool, but it takes a lot of time to get them started, unstuck and finished ;-).  

I am so excited for all the racers this weekend ... have a great time! 

Comments(9)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM(8 miles, 1:11:15). Easy run ... very hot, I guess tomorrow needs to be even earlier. I know that Burt has it worse (we were in Phoenix today, it was 109, it is only 102 here). Anyway, summer has sprung.

I saw the coyote that Dean has seen every morning this week, apparently it crosses the wash at about the same time every day -- I am a little worried about it, I hope it doesn't get hit (probability - KPs favorite subject, well second to donuts ;-)).


Some good racing going on out there bloggers -- way to go!!

 PM: (4 miles more than easy).

Comments(3)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
12.500.000.000.000.0012.50

1:47:55 (56:47/51:07). Ran on the Rilito path today - nice and flat (and about 1/2 mile of shade, I will take what I can get ;-)). Felt pretty sluggish the first 4 miles, I think it was because of the ART I had yesterday - I think that it helped alot, but my R leg and L hip were pretty beat up. Managed to speed it up some the last half of the run, averaged 8:10 pace. I was told (by Greg) to reduce my long run time ... so I am, however, to me that means I can run a little faster ;-). I did take it pretty slow, since it was the usual hot and sunny (89F at the end).

I did not sleep much last night, I got to bed on time, set the alarm for 5:30 and then found a scorpion right by my nightstand (then spent another 20 inspecting bedsheets to make sure there were none *in* the bed). Spent a restless night fretting that I did not search the bedsheets enough ;-).

I hope you all have a wonderful family and rest day!

Comments(5)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
13.500.000.000.000.0013.50

AM: (9.5 miles, 1:24:49). ~ 7.5 miles + 15 (or 16, I lost count) x 100 meter strides. It was not exactly comfortable, but it was not unbearably hot (89F and sunny) - unlike my PM run which will be in the 104F (but not sunny as I won't go until the sun goes down) range.

Note to self, when using the beautiful desert "bathroom" be aware of the prickly pear just lying in wait. I got got bad today -- spines up and down my calf. Worst part was when I was trying to get the larger of them out I got a whole bunch of little ones in the tips of my fingers, it hurts to type -- and I will be doing a whole lot of that today (I need to get an important section of my grant done so I can get it sent off to some folks to look it over for me). I did find a secret today though, you can use hair removal strips (or duct tape) to remove many of the thousands of little cacti spines when stuck ;-). You heard it here first, 1,000,001th use of duct tape.

PM: (4 miles very slow in the convection oven that is Arizona in June).

Comments(9)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

1:04:31.  Up the Yeatman trail.  Wonderfully uneventful (no bugs, no grabbing cacti, no snakes, no scorpions).  Just me and the oppressively hot hot sun.  Flagstaff - Flagstaff - Flagstaff - just three more weeks!

Have a wonderful day bloggers, stay safe, have fun, run free!! 

Comments(11)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM: (10 miles, 1:26:22).  30:10wu/26:23cd (misnomer, there was nothing cool about this run).  4 mile SS run (7:16-7:28).  WHINER ALERT (sorry, stop here if my whining gets on your nerves).  It was 89F and sunny ... so I knew I was going to have to modify my expectations for my run today.  Then, on my way down to the track I noticed how freaking windy it was - I hadn't checked the weather before I left the house because, I knew it was hot and I didn't want to psych myself out.  I could tell it was bad (after I got home I checked and it was 15mph) -- double whammy for a run.  I estimated 4-5 secs/mile for the heat and about that much for the wind too.    

Anyway - this wasn't my fastest workout, I would not even say it was my best workout, but it was a GREAT mental workout.  Since I am not even training right now I knew I wasn't going to kill myself to hit a "pace" - so I just concentrated on running by effort ... every lap I adjusted and readjusted my rhythm to the conditions, how hard it felt like I was running, and how far I had left to run (great simulation for races - I think).  I can't tell you how much I dreaded turning into the back stretch every freakn lap -- the wind was fierce and I had to really concentrate to keep up effort while not fighting into it (since I knew that would only deplete my energy even more, and I was already depleting with every lap because it was so horribly hot).  I looked at my watch the first 400 meters of every mile just to make sure I was not running too fast, and then I just concentrated on making it through the workout: 7:35, 7:24, 7:24, 7:21.

Then ... after all this, I still had a 3 mile run home -- 2.5 miles uphill (it wasn't pretty ... that is all I can say).  IT IS OVER! yea.  And, it supposed to be cooler today (106F yesterday, only 100F today? I hope I can drag my sorry behind out for a run in the heat tonight).

PM: (4 miles as easy as I can possibly run).

I hope you all have a wonderful day today - sorry about the whining. I am done now, and grateful I can run, that I am in good enough shape not to kill myself doing it, and just plain lucky as lucky can get.

 


Comments(12)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

1:02:56.  Up the trail.  So, in general I am most hyper-vigilant about snakes when I am in the most remote part of the trail (and where there is a lot of brush that makes it hard to see the trail - or on cliffs - where I can't escape).  Today, I was just finishing up and getting back to the trailhead when I had to jump over a snake that was spread out across the trail - it kind of snuck up on me ... as I was airborne over it I realized, "wow, it is a rattlesnake too." Sure enough, it was a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake and I could tell because it had 4 concentric circles of black and white rings near its rattle ... beautiful actually (and looked just like the web-picture I linked you to). It did not look like it perceived me as a threat because it did not coil or rattle (even as I leaped over it).  So, that brings my total number of rattlesnake sightings to 3 (one Mohave and I think two Western Diamondbacks).

I did run last night, but it almost didn't happen.  I actually got a little sick from my morning run -- I think that despite trying hard not to run too hard in the sun I did ... I had a bad headache for most of the afternoon (which usually happens when I get a touch of heat exhaustion).  I took many doses of Emergen-C ElectroMIX, which finally got things under control.  All that horrid wind brought good things too, it was the coolest run I have had all week (95F) -- pretty sure that 90F and full sun was a little much for a 4 mile tempo run.   Next week I will be in DC (study section - I am reviewing NIH grants) - it will be much easier to run there, despite the humidity -- although my schedule will be bizarre (on Tuesday we will be in review from 5-10PM??  how weird is that? and then we start super early the next morning).  

I hope you all have a wonderful day - and a great weekend.

Track and Field:  NCAA is this weekend (actually started on Wednesday, so far I have only picked 3 winners in my pool -- but they have been big ones and I have a few points).  On TV we will have the Adidas Grand Prix (will be aired on ESPN on Sunday).  Starting on the 23rd we will have the USATF track and field championships (will be aired on NBC and ESPN).  

Also: FUTBOL!!!!!  GO MEXICO (today - playing against South Africa) and GO USA (playing tomorrow against England).


 

Comments(8)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM: (8 miles, 1:11:50).  It was SOOOOO nice today!  I couldn't believe it, 78F!!! wow!!  I am so luckily.  We went up to see John of the ART last night ... ouch ouch ouch.  But I felt so good today, a little "beat up" but much less "clunky" and my stride was much smoother (plus my foot and leg did not hurt).

PM: (4 miles easy).

I have to work all day today, and probably tomorrow too. I have to get my grant reviews turned in by tomorrow night.  Travel day all day (it takes 7 hours to get to DC from here!) Monday ... a very busy week for sure.

So far, NCAA have been very exciting!!  I am in 74th place (out of 931) in the NCAA pool.  I would have been even better if Bizzarri hadn't DNF'd in the 5K!  I was happy though to see Koll pull off a 5/10K double championship! wow!  The mens 800 was all it was supposed to be, and the Olympian, Andrew Wheating pulled off an impressive win.  I have correctly gotten 1-2-3 in the womens 800 and the mens 3000 steeple, and I still think I have a shot at the mens 5K too ... though I did not do very well for the womens ;-).

Lots of track on TV today! Must get to work so I can enjoy some good action tonight!

 

Have a wonderful weekend bloggers!
 

Comments(11)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

1:59:02.  Ran about 3 miles on the road (25:15) and then hit the big hilly loop twice (5.5 miles, 48:50/44:57).  Good workout, beautiful day (only 85F when I finished!!).

So, we watched 3.5 hours of track last night --- YES!  I lost big yesterday, though it was worth it to see Lisa Koll win the 5K/10K double, Andrew Wheating win the 800/1500 double and Queen Harrison win the 100 and 400 hurdles!!

I will be blogging less regularly this week, since I will be out of town and working really hard ...

Have a wonderful family day today and a great week.  Congratulations to all of the superstar racers from the Utah Valley Marathon and all the weekend races! 

Comments(5)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
13.000.000.000.000.0013.00

AM: (9 miles, 1:16:59).  easy miles with 15 x 100m fartlek in the middle of the run.  Very humid (soupy day here in DC - after a night of sporatic rain).  Felt good, though it was much more sweaty than I am used to, I felt much cooler than most of my runs last week.

PM: (4 miles).  had to sneak this one in, went and ran on the treadmill before my evening meetings started ...

 

Hope all is going well with you bloggers!

Comments(1)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

preblogging my PM run -- very early start this morning.  We are supposed to be finished at 2PM,  I worked it out with the hotel that I can go for my run after the meetings are over and shower in the gym here (even though I am already checked out).   What we do to get our runs in??  

Very busy again today ... the reviews are intense this time.

 

Have a wonderful day bloggers.

Comments(10)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
11.000.000.000.000.0011.00

Only one run today -- I will be traveling for 10 hours today.  30:45 wu/ 29:56 cd and 5 miles at SS (38:03).  It was likely not exactly 5 miles, and even more likely that it was longer than 5 miles, I calculated a conservative 7:30 pace for 5 miles would be 37:30, but it is too hard to run 18:45 out and 18:45 back ... so after my wu I ran hard for 19 mins and turned around and ran back to where I had started running hard.  I actually ran faster on the coming back portion, so I ran a little longer.  It was hilly, which was good, and it felt really nice to run hard after being cooped up in a windowless, with a bunch of uptight scientists (not you Scott), for 2 days.

 In general, when I travel is the only time when I tend to value quality over quantity (meaning I will give up mileage for quality workouts if I have to).  I was glad to get two "work-outs" in, and only miss a couple of miles.

 

Comments(2)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.500.000.000.000.007.50

1:04:46.  Because of my snake encounter last week I am trying to find safer trail runs until late October (when summer *may* end here).  Today I ran some trails near the Pima College track - they were pretty nice, before I saw the signs at the actual "trail-head" I just ran a bunch of inter-connecting trails, some of which did not go very far and some were "lost" eventually.  I was, during this time, thinking that these were great trails to take beginner trail runners on.  There are some technical sections, and for sure if you trip or fall you will get a little bloody, but there were no true "dangerous" sections (dangerous sections defined as: those trails that if you fall you are certain to either: 1. break something; 2. fall on cacti or a bunch of rocks that will cause immeasurable pain and take a visit to the ER to remove; 3. not survive).  Then, I found out why some of the trails 'petered' out ... it is an orienteering park!  pretty cool, I will need to look into this more.

It is wonderful to be home ... well, except that as Dean and were getting to bed last night there was this weird sound ... Dean says "oh, that is the mouse that got trapped in the wall, I went out and looked and it looks like it fell from a hole that connects the evaporative cooler  to the house; I guess *we* need to unhook the cooler (it is not functional) and patch-up the hole".  Hmmm.  I guess *we* had better do that honey ;-).  Anyway, it was sad, I kept giving him suggestions (including dropping a tiny little ladder we can make from rope) to help the mouse, and apparently none of them were feasible.  It makes me sad, and it drives Titus (the cat) absolutely crazy.  Apparently, he has been sitting under my end table near the bed for hours and hours just staring at the wall.

Also, TMI, I did actually enjoy running in DC again, it was super humid (and hot) but as sticky and sweaty as I got I felt MUCH cooler running there than when I run here.  I think that the dry heat (and the 20 more degrees) actually hurts a lot (despite everyones, "but it is a dry heat") -- because the sweat evaporates and you don't get the benefit of cooling properties of sweat here.  That said, one thing I had forgotten was how gross it is to always put on wet running shoes (wet from sweat, not rain, there is a big difference).  My shoes are toast, and will never be allowed in the house again.  When I mentioned this to Dean he said, "I never have forgotten about that, it was horrible".  Personally, I think it was one of the things that he disliked about living in the South. 

 Anyway -- lots of fires to put out after being gone most of the week.  I hate the administrative parts of my job ... I wish I could just do science and leave it at that!

 Have a wonderful weekend bloggers!
 

Funny video   for those of you who already know all the results, the race recap goes for approximately 3 minutes, then you get to see the funny skit: "Shalane versus Kara".  Good stuff for a Friday.

Comments(9)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM: (8 hilly miles, 1:11:09).  Boy howdy it is hot.  But, it was a nice day, no venomous creatures in sight!

PM: (4 miles easy).

Have a great weekend bloggers ... off to Phoenix to see our best friend John of the ART ... 

Comments(2)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

2:02:16 (1:03:17/58:58). 84F at the beginning, 93F at the end, no shade and never-ending sun. The sun is much hotter here than in DC, granted there was a lot more shade there too (lots of big trees), but the sun is definitely hotter here. It zaps you big time.

Last night on my run I saw a tiny baby jackrabbit - I had never seen one before - they are SO cute!!

Have a wonderful Sunday bloggers!  I have to go to work.

 
Congratulations on the Ragnor folks!  Great news about Kelsey winning her wedding!! 

Comments(11)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

1:11:39.  Ran my usual Saturday route.  I had a workout scheduled, one of two for the week, but decided against it after I was up for a while this morning.  Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat.  I actually think I am managing to fight off what ever the crud is, but I am a little weak and not 100%.  I figure my body is so good to me, it lets me make it do things that really shouldn't be done to an almost 48 year old body, and push it far beyond what it likes, the least I can do is take care of it when it gets sick.  Actually, what I really need to do is take a day off from work and rest, but since I can't do that, I need to back off the running.  Besides, any workout less than 100% is not worth it ... either you end up with several less than 100% workouts (because you get worn down and take longer to get better) or you end up with days off, which set you back much more than missing a workout.  That is my philosophy anyway.  

 It is too bad too, this week is ultra hot (should be up in the 107-110F range for the next several days) so I got up over an hour earlier so I could get to the track while it was still "cool" -- it was a beautiful 77F when I left the house today.  sigh.   

Anyway, onward and upward.  I might run this afternoon, I might not, depends on how run down I am feeling by the end of the day.  Mainly, I need to get my grant finished ... and get all this other stuff that is due done ...

Have a great day bloggers!! 

Comments(6)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.500.000.000.000.007.50

1:06:29.  Was only going to run an hour but was seeking alternate running routes (since my mountain is off limits until Fall).  I did find a nice alternative, it is not quite as satisfying as climbing to the top of a mountain, but it fulfills the top criteria: 1) it is dirt, 2) it is very hilly, 3) it is scenic (well, everywhere near my house is going to be scenic and hilly).  

I am very glad I took it easy yesterday, I am feeling much better today, I am still coughing and my throat hurts, but I can tell I am on the mend.  Probably no workouts for me for the rest of the week, but I can still run so I consider it a success!

I hope you are all doing well, enjoying your first days of summer, and running strong.

Congratulations to our very own RAD, she and her family welcomed the new fastrunningblog baby into the world, hello Adam! 

Comments(5)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM: (11 miles, 1:35:45). 28:45wu/28:25cd + 15 x 200m w/200 recovery (fastest was 48, slowest was 50).

When I got up at 5 it was 80F, but blissfully overcast ... well, partly cloudy (which is really rare). I did not want to waste the opportunity so I decided to try to do the easiest of the scheduled workouts for the week. Unfortunately, by the time I got about a mile into it the sun came out -- sigh. It was 93F and sunny by the long 3 mile uphill trudge home. Good thing was I did not cough once during the workout ... although I spent about 10 mins coughing up a lung when I got home. I am not too worried though, I am pretty sure the worst part of this crud is over, and by taking it easy I did not miss too much running!! Yesterday was 109F and it is going to be at least that hot again today ... I am going to try to run again tonight after the sun goes down, but I am not preblogging because if I wore myself out too much this morning I am not going to push it by running again tonight.

Have a great day bloggers.

Titus the cat is having a wonderful summer, decimating the local quail population. It is pretty sad.


Reminder: TODAY is the start of USA track and field championships. It is on ESPN Friday and Saturday and then Sunday it is on NBC (and I think Monday as well).

 

PM: easy 4.  Got my SI joint worked on today, felt better than I have in quite a few days ... now I only wish I could quit coughing.

Comments(7)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

long 7  (still route seeking!) 1:05:47.  Went out my new hilly dirt road (near our second choice for houses last year - they did not accept our offer).  Felt pretty good.  It was humid for us (42%), I still think it feels "cooler" when I get to sweat than when it evaporates right away.  

I won't complain about the weather, but I will give you a quote from the radio this morning: "yesterdays high was 109, it will be cooler the next couple of days with highs only around 104"

ah ha ha ha .... thank goodness, finally, the heat wave has broken ;-).

 Super busy today, and very stressed out.  I was hurrying in because I did a favor for one of  my colleagues and gave his class a problem to work on - I presented it on Monday and the students presented their solutions this morning.  Anyway -- so I am hurrying in, thinking about all the things I have to do -- and about how I am going to lay out the experiments for my grant -- and I got my picture taken.  The SPEED CAMERA got me!  drat!  I am usually so careful!  You come down from the mountains and it is downhill and 45 and then all of a sudden you are in "civilization" and it drops to 35, I forgot and was in 45 mode (maybe even 50 if I were to be honest).  SIGH. Right after I got my picture taken the local NPR station listed where all the cameras were -- seriously about 3 mins after, I am always just a day late and a dollar short!  It is ok.  I don't get caught nearly as often as I should (thankfully).

Have a great weekend bloggers, run safe, stay cool. 

 

So far, in the USATF Championship pool I picked the women's 10K perfectly (Begely, Koll, Davila) and chose the winner of the men's 10K (Rupp -- I missed 2 and 3 completely, but who wouldn't have - it was crazy).  

100% of the people in the pool picked the mens 10K winner ;-). 

 

Comments(3)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM: (8 hilly, hot miles, 1:09:59).  I got up and out a little later than I had hoped, but I was just so exhausted yesterday and last night.  Unfortunately, I am still exhausted and still have 6 more grant days/nights left.  BUT - I got to see some great track and field last night, even though the men's and women's 5K set me back A LOT in the prediction contest, I was SO happy to see Lauren Fleshman back to her old self - and Molly Huddle is on a tear!! (thumbs up to Jen Rhines for setting a tough pace and breaking the race open).  My all time favorite though (with the exception of Bernard Lagat) is BUMBI (Andrew Bumbalough, from Nashville TN, we used to watch him burn it up in cross-country and track when he was in high school).  Pretty much without exception the women are running gutsy, tough races, while the men seem to be sitting and kicking - running more tactical races than fast ones ... but, the weather has been brutal for racing, hot, humid and windy ...

PM: (4 easy).

Head down, I need to focus, get rid of this writers block ...

 

Have a great weekend bloggers. 

Comments(5)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

1:59:54 (1:02:42/57:11) 8:33 AP (8:57/8:10).  Same ole same ole.  Hot, sunny, I don't know what it was when I started but it was 92F when I finished, no shade, just me and the trail and the sun.  Speaking of which, did any of you see the eclipse?  I didn't, because I thought it was "last night" (really early in the morning) and it was the night before!  I am a dork.  

Congratulations to Roes and Arbogast (men's and women's winners of the Western States 100) and all the athletes! what an accomplishment.  Roe annihilated the course record (Mehgan Arbogast was/is a famous marathoner-she has run in the Olympic Trials at least 5 times I believe).  One of my friends, Amy Dodson, was prematurely pulled from the course about 35 miles in, she still does not know why and is protesting the action.  It is really maddening, Amy lost a leg and a lung to cancer and is a phenomenal runner, she says she was not near any aid station with a cut-off time and was still well below the next cut-off time ... hrrrrumph!  I can't even imagine how angry she must be.

Also, congratulations to Anna Willard (Pierce) on being the new USA 1500 meter champion.  And wow Chaunte Howard (Lowe) broke her own American high jump record yesterday, and then went and took second place in the triple jump!

I hope you are all having a wonderful day of rest and  enjoy your time with your family!

Comments(9)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM: (10 hilly miles, 1:26:53).  Ouch.  25:49wu/28:33cd ~4 mile SS ( ran hard for 32:28).  It was very hot (89F at the start, and wunderground says the wind was 20 mph (felt worse than that sometimes).  I wanted to run for about 5 miles (estimated 37 mins or so), but because of the conditions I opted for fewer fast miles and decided to just run for 30 mins hard.  Felt a little whoozy and sick near the end.  I was running by feel but the heat, the hills and the wind just conspired against me ;-).  All is good though, it was a solid effort and I am glad I did it, I groaned when the alarm went off at 5AM and they said it was already 82F out.

PM: 4 miles easy.

Almost done with my grant -- well, I got a first draft finished, now I have to edit and rework. It looks much better than my initial submission last year.  Fingers crossed.

Have a great day bloggers! 

Comments(9)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

1:02:04.  The usual in terms of weather and road conditions (hot and hilly).  So, "irony" - when you run an alternate route to avoid snakes and then come within 2 cm of stepping on one on the alternate route.  This was pretty scary.  I was not paying attention really, I was thinking about this last bit that I have to write on my grant and by the time I saw him/her I almost stepped on its rattle ... it actually was up and in striking position too -- yikes.  So this new route is a hilly dirt road wide enough for one car so it is a little safer than a trail where if you see a snake you might not have anywhere to go (rather than over them).  I sped up quite a bit after this, adrenaline I think ;-).

Have a good day bloggers! 

Congratulations to our own Samantha Howard, her Bengal kittie had *7* kittens in the wee hours of the morning yesterday. Mom and "kitty Mom" are doing well ;) 

Comments(6)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
283.000.000.000.000.00283.00
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: