The Perils of Self Betterment

Leprechaun Lope 5K

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Location:

UT,

Member Since:

Jan 17, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

yearly mileage totals (actual running miles, not crosstraining etc)

2008 - 1,317

2009 - 2,654

2010 - 2,578

2011 - 2,618

2012 - 3,083 (ran everyday this year. PR's in half and full marathons, at age 48!)

2013 - 1,177

2014 - 1,716

2015 - 1,060

2016 - 951

2017 - 786

2018 - 1,058

2019 - 1,211

2020 - 1010

2021 - 1064.9

2022 - 1135.9

Short-Term Running Goals:

reacquaint myself with my long lost running freak, and then proceed to get my running freak on

run faster

increase mileage in the Spring

keep running

Long-Term Running Goals:

run

Personal:

born in 1964. married 25 years. one wife one dog

6 ft tall, nation wide

"Engaging in a little suffering — however self-imposed, arbitrary and contrived — before breakfast each morning tends to demand some humility and injects some marked relief into the rest of the day, making things sharper, more inspired, more immediately aware of the powerful presence of being. And that seems really worthwhile." A. Krupicka

"I cruised down hills, churned up hills, and floated over the asphalt, existing in a world that seemed to lack the confinements of such ubiquitous rivets as time, obligation, or pain. I knew then that this was destined to be one of those serendipitous runs for which so many of
us strive yet so rarely achieve." J. Nevels

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to Ukraine's Armed Forces

Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00
Switchbacksblack Lifetime Miles:						176.50
Kinvara11(2) Lifetime Miles:						362.50
Kinvara11blue Lifetime Miles:						327.70
Rincon2 Lifetime Miles:						262.40
Spg 4�s Lifetime Miles:						135.50
Skechers Razor3 Lifetime Miles:						160.90
Rincon2(2) Lifetime Miles:						85.50
Asics Noosa14 Lifetime Miles:						73.00
Sauconyaxon2 Lifetime Miles:						73.80
Mach 4 Lifetime Miles:						34.50

Sat, Mar 14, 2009

Race: Leprechaun Lope 5K (3.1 Miles) 00:23:26, Place overall: 38, Place in age division: 7

Total Distance

9.00

Finally. My first race since being here on the blog. Now I have a 5k time I can use to more accurately gauge my workouts. I think my time was right around a PR I ran 12 years ago, at sea level, in LA. So, given that I'm 44 yrs old now, and the race was at about 4200 ft elevation, I guess I'll take it. Like I have a choice.

The race started at 8:30 am. I got there around 7:15, registered, and then warmed up 3.9 miles. I ran up into city creek canyon. I used to run up there all the time and it's been a few years so it was nice to see it again. Very peaceful up there with the creek gurgling, the birds chirping, and the day starting to light up. Cold temps and a brisk north wind.

The race starts uphill. The first over mile and a half is mostly uphill in fact. My slow gene had me breathing hard and loud within the first quarter mile...and it seemed I never really did get my breathing under control. I've never had this happen in training, I wonder if nerves played into this at all. I passed the first mile in 8:19. I was okay with this because it was uphill. I was worried that that was going to be my pace for the whole race though, and I tried to push harder. The second mile I ran in 7:39, that's better. I'd say the last quarter of mile 2 was downhill. The third mile was all downhill, and pretty steep at times. My split for mile 3 was 6:45. I found myself trying to stay with this kid (like 12 years old or something) throughout most of the race, (ah, the life of a middle of the pack guy!). He did pull way ahead of me in the final quarter. For the most part, I passed people the whole time and had just a couple of people pass me. I sprinted hard to the finish line. The clock said 23:15 but my Garmin said 23:25 for 3.11. So I'll call it 23:20 for 3.1 until/if I see official results. I felt a little nauseous for just a few seconds after I stopped but relaxed and took a few deep breaths and was fine.

Well, I'm not fast. But I do think I can improve. One thing different nowadays compared to when I ran before is that I can pick up my pace and surge when I want to, and maintain that for a minute or so. Whenever I heard footsteps coming up behind me, I had another gear I could go into, and the footsteps would fade. I've never been a competitve person, but I'm learning to use the other runners around me to get a better performance out of myself.

I cooled down with two easy miles.

Now I need to find a 10k for April.

Splits, according to the book of Garmin:

mile 1 - 8:19 (all uphill) "Gravity Hill" is definately uphill heading North.

mile 2 - 7:39 (about 3/4 up and 1/4 downhill)

mile 3 - 6:45 (all extremely downhill)

last .11 42.09 (6:13 pace)

I'm curious to see how I'll feel tommorrow.

Asics 2140 Miles: 9.00

Weight: 0.00

Comments

From Kelli on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 14:32:48 from 71.219.76.202

GREAT RUN, and you are fast! What are you talking about??? Where exactly was this race?

From JD on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 15:17:11 from 166.217.171.67

Thanks for the comment Kelli. I was just looking at your times...I hope to be as fast as you soon! Looks like you had a great marathon at St. George.

The leprechaun lope is in SLC. This was the 20th year. It starts at the capitol and heads towards city creek canyon. It finishes in memory grove.

From Kelli on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 15:23:13 from 71.219.76.202

I think you are already faster than me! If you have endurance, you will MORE than get your 3:45!

When I was driving home from my run this morning they were talking on the radios about a parade at the Gateway. I honestly did not even know Salt Lake had anything going on today. BUT that is a super tough course with those hills at the beginning. I can NEVER start a run on a hill, it kills me! And downhill is killer, too! You can go faster, but it hurts!

Again, awesome job! I am excited to see how you do with your upcoming races. I think you will surprise yourself.

From snoqualmie on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 15:24:23 from 67.171.56.164

I thought about you when I was huffin and puffin. It looks like you had a great race. Man, you were smokin on that final mile! Congratulations! We're back in the game, eh?

From JD on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 15:43:04 from 166.217.171.67

Thanks Kelli. I have a lot of hard work (ie; fun running) to do to make my goals. I hope you're right about surprising myself.

Snoqualmie - you had a great 5k today! Again, congratulations. Yeah that downhill mile was fast...for me. As I was flying down that hill, I kept thinking "how on earth do the elite runners run 5:30 on a flat course, for 26.2 miles?!?" It's like they're a different species or something!

From Burt on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 15:52:49 from 98.167.151.26

Great job. I find often in a race, that I start out way fast without even trying. Maybe it's nerves or maybe it's subconciously trying to stay with everyone. Perhaps that's what happened to you. Or maybe you just needed some time to get into a rhythm because of the uphill.

From JD on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 16:02:20 from 166.217.171.67

Thank you Burt. I think you're right that the uphill is a hard way to start and find a rythm. That and nerves got me. That's why I want to run some shorter small races before my half and marathon this year, to get used to the race environment.

From Carolyn in Colorado on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 17:30:04 from 71.229.164.25

Great race! It's nice to know you've still got it, eh?

From Adam RW on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 22:02:05 from 98.202.223.65

Glad you got a race under your belt. Sounds like overall it is a good place for you and you have a good plan for the year to come, meaning stick with the knowledge that you can surge. I'm sure those surges will become longer until you can do it for the full 5K...

From JD on Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 11:28:24 from 166.217.149.37

Thanks Carolyn - I think the only thing I've still got are the lungs of a hamster...must be all that treadmill running! LOL!

Adam - thanks. You're right, in spite of my pace I did feel strong, and those surges are a real confidence builder.

From Chad on Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 17:54:29 from 67.42.252.25

James--I remember that 5k in LA ... can't believe it was 12 years ago and I'm impressed that you've come back with a vengeance to slay that old PR. You had a strong race, nice job with the final mile split. The fact that you were able to pick it up so much at the end means that you've got more in the tank than you think and next time you can go out even harder at the start. By the way, a little nauseous is a good sign.

From JD on Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 19:02:00 from 166.217.149.37

Thanks Chad. I believe that race in LA was your first marathon? Wild, wacky stuff.

Can you confirm rumours that you'll be running the wasatch steeplechase this June?

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