Where's the Donuts?

Well, it had been a long week of work after the holiday, so I took Wednesday off also. I could get used to a one-day-on-one-off schedule. Actually it was a comp day because I've been working a lot, and since I'm the boss, I take comp days when I please! 

The weather foiled me a bit, me thinking the sun would be out an all, but oh well. Light rain never hurt anyone but witches who melt in the stuff. So I dinked around the house in the morning, ate a donut, then Krissy came over and we went and ran Green Mountain. Almost had the whole thing to ourselves (two other hikers), and the sun came out by the end. (Of course it did, we're in Bremerton! That's my joke that annoys everyone else.) 

Eleven solid, relaxed miles, though Krissy has the San Diego 100 next week so we went real easy, walked a few of the steeper hills and I had to wait for her a few times. I really like that forest though, wonderful day in there. Legs felt great after Monday's run, probably smart to take a day in between. 1:52:00

The other news is that I just got a free entry to North Olympic Discovery Half this weekend. The original owner came up with a sore back and knee, and his replacement was on a bike ride and got hit by a dog and went to the ER. So I'm the third stringer, but I can probably give "Rob Franzen" his pr for athlinks. So a race coming Sunday.

brooks cascadia 8

Just a little guy here. I ran a two-mile fartlek on the track with my team, sprinting the straightaways and jogging the corners. I planned to stay late and do a few more miles, but three of the kids on the team got caught stealing from Albertson's in the afternoon, so after practice I made them run stairs for awhile instead. Jaguars don't tolerate that crap.

supernova glide 373

Easy race tune-up for Sunday, Warren-Manette bridge route on a wonderful sunny morning. Might be the nicest day of the year, and we're headed to Federal Way for a twilight track meet tonight. I'm a little stiff in the hips and my left plantar is still a little sore, but I stretched well and it should be easy to warm up tomorrow morning before running hard. 

supernova glide -- 378

I debated hitting the "race report" button or not... 

I don't know the etiquette behind running bandit. I'd never really thought about it much, and I've never done it. I suppose it's bad if too many people do it, but when it's a local sold out race on a gorgeous day and I know a friend had paid for an entry and dropped it -- who's really going to take the time to hassle me? So when faced with that choice this morning because of a snafu with my bib pick-up (I was replacing a guy, but he wanted the shirt so he showed up and took his packet and bib, and didn't tell me and left), I compromised: I'd run, but stick with Mike and enjoy the morning with him instead of a true race. That way, I rationalized, I'd still be a part of things, but I wouldn't be up with any leaders or mess up the timing system or lie if I won my age group (theoretically, of course). Sound fair?

Mike's three weeks out from Ironman so he wasn't racing either. We were there to participate and cheer his wife and sister-in-law in on their marathon. After packing away my guilty conscious at the start (I was certain everyone was eyeing the guy without a bib), Mike and I took it out at a really comfortable pace. We ran 7:15s the first two, chatting the whole time. Wonderful weather, sun came out, saw a few friends on the course, it was maybe 70 degrees, and NODM really is a jewel. The half is all on paved trail that runs through forests, lilac fields, and along the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Some hills, but for sooome reason they are much easier while running 13.1. (I felt them during a marathon last year.)

So we stuck that pace, with a few miles closer or at 7 minutes/per, for about 9 miles. Then we decided to get a little workout in. So we burned through a 6:55, 6:45, 6:35 and a 5:45. It was fun to feel that strong and stride out through the finish. I stepped off the course at the 13-mile marker, let Mike run 0.1 on his own and avoided any hassle at the finish. But, it wasn't a real race, I know that. 1:30 was a walk in the park with my friend on a sunny day that serves as a nice workout for the week, and that's fine. At least I didn't pay for it (or get the UGLY shirt they gave out), right?

(I should admit here, however, that I took full advantage of the generous post-race spread. Maybe some of my guilt is earned.)

adidas adistar -- 25

No idea of the actual distance here, so it's an estimate, and the pace was incredibly inconsistent, and I forgot to start my watch. But it was a great run. 

I was fully prepared to leave my khakis on and just yell encouragement at the Jaguars running in the rain today — until the head coach, after warm ups, tells the team they'll be following Coach Dave out for a run on the streets. So I hustle and throw some shorts on and lead my (surprisingly willing) troops from Memorial Stadium over to 15th and Naval. One of the steeper hills in town is at that intersection (not as steep or as long as Alder, where I live, but a pretty good grade). So we trucked these kids up and down and up and down and up and down, me running back and forth like a cattle rancher (or, more likely, the sheepdog who runs next to a cattle rancher doing the herding work). Most kids ran 4 to 6 repeats, we kept a few of the better kids out and dragged them through as many as 12. I'd guess I ran the hill 14 times or so. Only one of them was all out, when our star runner decided he was going to challenge the old man on a hill.

He fell over at the top, I headed down for another repeat. It's child abuse, but it's good for them.

supernova glide blue

Easy Beach Drive run with Mike. He's tapering for an Ironman, I'm tapering because I have more important things to do these days and no immediate races scheduled. I'm flying to Kenya two weeks from today though, my brother and I are spending two weeks there at a small village called Rusinga Island, where a friend of ours is from, as well as some traveling around the country. Maybe I should be in shape in case the Kenyans want to challenge me. 59:40

supernova glide blue -- 390

Short morning run, trying to stay in some rhythm. 28:55

supernova glide blue -- 294

Easy a.m. on the YMCA loop. Sun was out but now it's gone away. Good thing I woke up. 29:53

adidas supernova -- 398

The truth is I'm just not running much right now. My priorities the past month were work and the Jaguars, and now I'm focused on preparing for Kenya. When I return I'll schedule a race, and start running again. I don't know if my training this year has "earned" down time, but I took it anyway.

What I notice is that my body now hurts when I don't run. That's never happened before. It's a different pain than training brings, but I've become very stiff without working my legs out and stretching regularly, and that tightness creates sore muscles in my back and legs. So I'm tired of that, and tonight's quick leg-stretcher with Henry (just around Manette after work) was incredibly pleasant.