I'm feeling fat and sassy

Pre-race: I wanted to race a 5k to see how I was doing with my training and was hoping to break 18:30.  The race is in the evening held on a square and dead flat course.  It was a cool evening with a stead rain.  After doing my 2 mile warm up I made sure to line up at the front in the second row.  Also racing were a few of my friends from track practice

I forgot my watch so I was running blind (DOH) but it's only a 5k so not that big of a deal when my race strategy is run until it hurts and keep going.  I was also relying on volunteers to call out the mile and 2 mile split so they may be a little off (especially when I look at the paces)

Mile 1 (5:32 pace). I went out fast with the lead pack of 4 others that broke apart at about the 1/2-3/4 mark into two leaders, two chasers and me chasing at about 5 seconds off the back.  The first mile was mostly on a street that was being milled and resurfaced so the footing was a little rough in spots.  Was very surprised by how well I felt at the mile mark

Mile 2 (6:00). Mostly uneventful and focused on keeping the 2 in front of me w/in reach.

Mile 3 and 0.1 (6:09 pace) I was slowly reeling the 2 in front of me in and was able to pass them with about 1/2 mile to go and my job was to hold them off.  I managed an ok kick to hold them off by about 5 seconds and to take third overall with a time of 18:21.

My fastest 5k in since 2004 years and 40 seconds faster than my race two months ago. Track practices is paying off!! I was very excited how it went and pumped to run faster than I wanted to!  I wish I had my watch so I could have had more confidence in my splits because I don't think I faded that bad at the end.  I think the first mile may have been a little short which would make sense time wise but it's not that big of a deal.  Plus the post-race party had extra pizza and were selling them at 5$ each, score!

7 easy before work.  Went to the park and ran some loops on the cinder trail.  Average pace 8:00

12 mile long run,  Feeling uninspired so I just went to the park and did laps.  average pace was 7:43.  

Checkers Practice #10 6x400 at Int pace and strides

Abbreviated because I'll be racing the Chase Corp Challenge Thursday.
3 mile warm up
6x400 at Int Pace (80-84)
4x100 strides
2 mile cool down

400s in 82,84,80,80,81,77
100s in ~16

My abdominal issue is acting up again.

Race Report: Buffalo Corporate Challenge or YIPPY!

This year’s Chase Corporate Challenge was bigger than ever and also had some positive changes.  I don’t know how they managed without it at a 12k person race but this year they went to chip timing which was very exciting.  They also initialed an “elite” coral to make the start smoother.  If you seeded yourself at a sub 7 min/mile pace you got a red bib and got access to the corral and they were VERY strict about it so that made the start so much smoother.  Like always local companies rent a tent, get food/beer, participate and generally have a good time.  Some of the teams are hyper-competitive and some just drink a lot and stumble the course.  This year there was over 12,000 participates from 500 companies.

I ran with the University at Buffalo on a team that the assistant track coach stacked with some uber-fast people so we had a very good shot at winning the Male Team division (total lowest time from the top 4 count).  Based on my 5k last weekend my goal for the 3.5 mile (out and back) was something sub 21 and to make the 4^th place runner on the UB team. 

Mile 1 (5:33).  After my warm-up, I get to the corral and talk to a couple of friends before the race, see my competition a couple rows in front of me and we are off.  Even 3 rows back, the new start made it go very smoothly, no bumping or issue.  The first mile is kinda downhill and I felt good despite the fast start and was in 4^th place for my team. 

Mile 2 (6:06). The second mile is a slow steady uphill and it’s obvious looking at my pace.  Still felt pretty good.  The 5^th place UB runner passed me and I tried to hold him but he slowly pulled away.  I tried to keep him in sight.

Mile 3 (5:58).  After turning back home all the placed were pretty settled. I passed a few and a few got away.  One this I was proud of that a runner from our club tried to get by me with a surge and I managed to hold him off.  Feeling the burn I was ready to be done

Finishing 0.5 mile (5:52 pace).  Finished strong to come in at a time of 20:40 and 30^th overall for the men.  The top three guys for our team were under 19 minutes and the 4^th place guy beat me by about 30 seconds.  It’s pretty obvious that they won the Men’s team division and they (the top 4) will get a chance to go to the Championship in Germany this year.

Overall I was very happy with the race.  I hit my time goal and was well faster than were I expected to be.  I was a little disappointed I didn’t manage to be top 4 on my team, but they were gunning for the win and stacked it so there’d be little chance to lose.  I think this puts me in good standing to break 18 (super special goal of 17:30) at my A race in 6 weeks!

3 easy on treadmill at 9min/miles.  Wanted to do a little more but legs were beat

8 base pace miles at 7:33s.  Felt pretty good but it was very humid out

Had to squeeze my long run in before work this morning so I was out the door at 6am.  Was feeling tired so I tried to keep it slower.  Averaged 8:00.  

Am: 6 miles.  Make up run from missed last week.  Super icky and hot out and legs are kinda tired.  Averaged 7:55. Even at 8am it was super hot out, esp in the sun.  Luckily it's suppose to break tonight

Checkers Practice #11 800,1000,2x1200,1000,800 at int pace plus strides

2 mile warm up
Ladder 800,100,1200,1200,1000,800 at interval pace (goals 800 in 2:50, 1000 in 2:37, 1200 in 4:22)
4 x 100m strides
1.5 mile cool down

Repeats were 2:51, 3:35, 4:19, 4:22, 3:34, 2:46 with strides ~17 seconds

Felt pretty good

Ran the doggies to daycare and continued on my morning run.  My legs feel pretty shot so I did a real easy run at 8:25 pace.

Went to the doctor last yesterday.  She's pretty sure my stomach is an abdominal muscle issue but I'm still getting a CAT scan to verify.  Still hurts and she said that these things take forever to heal becasue 1 sneeze and you're back to square one.  Plus I got a tetnus/whooping cough booster that has made me sure achy, ick.

Ran 7 mile today real slow because I ache.  Pace was 8:33

Ran in the morning with Ralphie on the old railroad tracks.  Still achy and going slow.  Pace 8:23

Long run with my friend.  Finally starting to feel better.  Pace was 8:02

In the early summer our track club usually has a time trial basically for giggles (and to get the people that don’t race often a benchmark).   We race it in our normal training groups but this week about 50% our group decided to skip it making our race a little thin, especially at the front. 

It was also very hot and humid out (80 degrees with 70% humidity) with a strong headwind down the home stretch.  I was hoping to run around 10:30 based on my current races but I knew it would be tough with the conditions and with how I’ve been feeling lately. My 2 mile warm-up reminded me how brutal NE summers are.

We start and I go out with one of the runners who is a little faster than me and some kid who I mistook for someone a lot faster.  After about 2 laps I pass the kid and try to stay with the faster guy who has about 5 seconds on me.  I hit the mile at 5:32, right on my goal pace.  At about this time I get passed by another fast guy while goes by me like I’m walking (he ends up winning).  I try to hold strong the last 3 laps but slow to finish in 10:46.  It was pretty obvious that the heat pretty much got the better of most of us and every race can’t be great especially in the setting.  Probably a good kick in the ass to keep me from slacking

Around the town, legs a little sore.  Tried out my new shoes (Brooks Ravena), seem ok.  Took it easy at 8:02 pace

7 miles around the hood. 7:40 pace, starting to feel more "normal" again so that's good.  Not so sloggy or tired as I've been the last week

Tempo/cruise intervals

2mile wu
4x1600 at cruse int pace (6:01-6:09) with 1 min recovery
2 mile cd

repeats in 6:11, 6:09, 6:07, 6:00.  I'm always a fan of tempo intervals because while they are a little longer in distance, they really don't hurt bad at all. Went to a different track than I normally do so I could stretch out the warm-up and boy was it a free for all.  Cross-fit bros flipping a tractor tire in lane 3-4, moms walking backwards with their toddlers in lane 1 and tweens yelling at each other in the bleachers.  I'm sticking with my normal track for now on

Long run with a friend.  Ran 4 miles to meet her and then ran 5 with her and 4 home.  Average pace was 7:57 but the middle 5 were a little slower (8:14).

easy 7 miles to the park, around and hope.  8:05 pace.  Right hip is a little sore, not sure what's up with it. Feels like something is pinched deep inside

Checkers track practice

4x1200 at interval pace with 3 min recovery

2 mile WU
4x1200 (goal time 4:16-4:29)
2mile CD

times were 4:10 (ugh), 4:24, 4:21, 4:24.
Left hip kinda funky still

Did the double doggie duty run.  Ran 3 with ralphie, dropped him off and took sadie for 3.  We recently enrolled her in some obediance training and it's really paying off.  Ave pace: 7:54

AM: Tempo intervals 

2 mile w/u
5x1000m at CI pace (3:45)
2 mile c/d

repeats in 3:38, 3:42, 3:46, 3:35, 3:43

PM: 7 easy around the park, average pace 8:13