Rhett

Hot Air Balloon Half

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Location:

Lake Havasu City,AZ,

Member Since:

Sep 29, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

23 marathons

6 Bostons (2007-2011, 2017)

3 Half Ironmans

2 Ironmans

3 50 Milers

1 Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim

Marathon PR:

     2:59:00 St. George 2008

     2:58:03 Boston 2010

 1/2 Marathon PR:

     1:25:41  Havasu Half 2009

     1:24:09 Painter's St.George 2010

 Half Ironman PR:

      5:25:02  HITS Havasu 2014

5K PR:

       18:23  LHC Turkey Trot 2014

        18:22  LHC Turkey Trot 2017

50 mile PR:

        7:56:14 Avalon50 2016

Short-Term Running Goals:

Break 3 hours again

Doing it a Boston would be sweet!

It was sweet!

UPCOMING RACES

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Have fun!

 

Personal:

Married

4 kids

Optometrist

 

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Salomon Sense Pro 4 Lifetime Miles: 320.00
Salomon Ultra Pro Lifetime Miles: 387.00
NB 1500 V6 Lifetime Miles: 219.00
Adizero Pro Lifetime Miles: 57.00
Hoka Clifton 8 Lifetime Miles: 346.00
Brooks Ghost 14 Lifetime Miles: 343.00
Brooks Ghost 14 #3 Lifetime Miles: 163.00
Inov8 G270 Lifetime Miles: 20.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
229.0018.1023.000.000.00270.10
Asics Tarther Miles: 14.00Sketchers Ultra Miles: 148.00Reebok Reelflex Miles: 4.00Adidas Adios Boost Miles: 39.00Asics DS Racer Miles: 31.00Sketchers Sonic Miles: 13.10Brooks PureConnect Miles: 4.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

I was up coughing much of the night and was in a medicine fog when I finally got up, but I went out and slogged through 10 miles at a recovery pace when I got up anyways.

Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow for my long run.

Asics Tarther Miles: 10.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
22.000.000.000.000.0022.00

22 easy miles with Blake.

AP 8:18

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 22.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

4 easy miles with Blake to help the legs recover from yesterday's long run.  Overall felt good after I got out a few kinks at the beginning of the first mile.

Reebok Reelflex Miles: 4.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

10 easy miles this morning...felt good.

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 10.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.005.000.000.009.00

1 mile warm up followed by 1 mile at tempo effort with half mile recovery jog...repeat 5 times then an extra half mile cool down for a total of 9 miles.

I had my sights on doing 6 repeats, but on my fifth one my time dropped to marathon pace, so I called it a day.

Adidas Adios Boost Miles: 9.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

10 more easy miles.

Nothing exciting to report.

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 10.00
Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

4 recovery miles nice and slow

10 mile bike ride.

My legs really enjoyed that bike ride this morning. I missed both my rides last week as I am trying to get in 2 rides a week.

Asics DS Racer Miles: 4.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
23.000.000.000.000.0023.00

23 miles with Blake between seminary and work this morning after a night being up with Tally who was throwing up.  I feeling it now. Hopefully I survive the work day.  Good thing it's Friday. I'll need the weekend to recover.

AP 8:19

Asics DS Racer Miles: 23.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

I woke up to thunder and lightning and a rain storm so the morning ride with Blake was unfortunately cancelled.  Instead, I went to the gym and rode the stationary bike for 30 minutes and then ran easy on the TM for 4 miles.

This was my first week to hit 60 miles in about a year...plus I got in 2 bike rides.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

8 easy miles on a nice calm overcast morning.  Legs felt really good after the rest yesterday.

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 8.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.006.000.000.0010.00

1 mile warm up, followed by 1 mile at tempo effort with 1/2 mile recovery jog repeated 6 times.

My mile splits were all over the place with my slowest at 6:36 (2nd repeat) and my fastest at 6:19 (last repeat).  My average pace on the repeats was 6:28 though.

Total run: 10 miles

I was very happy with today's run and think it will be a nice confidence booster for the final 6+ weeks of my marathon training.

Adidas Adios Boost Miles: 10.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

8 recovery miles, nice and easy.

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 8.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

4 more easy miles followed by a 10 mile bike ride through the hills at SARA Park.

Biking sure makes my legs feel good.

Asics Tarther Miles: 4.00
Comments(4)
Race: Hot Air Balloon Half (13.1 Miles) 01:29:49, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.0013.100.000.000.0013.10

HOT AIR BALLOON HALF

Before you start reading this blog, you should know that this is not a real race and I was the only participant. :)

This weekend is the Hot Air Ballon Festival in Havasu and it started this morning with a mass assention of balloons at about 7:30. I decided I would run my own personal half marathon and try to do it at my goal pace (6:52) for my upcoming marathon.  I had to drop off some stuff for my son at the high school on the way to the race, so I was a few minutes late for the 7:30 start. Luckily the race organizers waited for me before they started.  After warming up my legs with some active stretching, the race started.  The first couple miles felt difficult for marathon pace and I was have trouble settling in on a nice consistant pace, but I finally started to find my groove about mile 4.  After going around the island once I crossed the London Bridge which was packed with race watchers (actually people watching the balloons) cheering me on.  I headed out London Bridge which goes along the lake until the halfway turn around were I was at 44:38, just a little ahead of goal pace. 

I turned around to head back toward the London Bridge and there must have been 40 to 50 balloons up in the sky over the lake. It was really pretty.  Nice of them to all be up there in honor of my race. On mile 8, I lost my focus and had my only mile over 7:00 for the race.  I regained focus quickly though and was back on pace as I crossed back over the London Bridge where I had a nice pick me up from the even larger crowds that had gathered to see the finish of my race.  Then I just had one more time around the island.  I was now having to work a bit, but all my splits were in the high 6:40s as I pushed through to the finish to win the inaugural Hot Air Balloon Half in a time of 1:29:49 (AP 6:51). 

I would like to thank all the Balloon pilots for their efforts in making this race so fantastic and scenic, and all the spectators who came out to cheer.  As the winner and current champion, I think I will start training hard so I can defend my title next year. 

Seriously though, I wasn't sure if I could hit my marathon pace for 13.1 especially with no taper or carb load or anything special.  I'm hoping to continue to improve over the next 6 weeks and be able to maintain that pace for a whole marathon.  Only time will tell, but this gives me the confidence that it is possible.

Sketchers Sonic Miles: 13.10
Comments(8)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

It has been a crazy Saturday. I didn't get to my workout until8 pm.

30 minutes in the stationary bike followed be 4 recovery miles on the TM. Legs felt great after yesterday's half.

Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

I didn't have to teach an early morning seminary class this morning since it is a school holiday, so I was able to sleep in an extra hour and still have time for a 12 mile easy run before work.

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 12.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.006.000.000.0010.00

1 mile warm up followed by 1 1/2 miles at tempo effort (goal 9:45) with 1/2 mile recovery repeated 4 times, then 1 mile cool down for a total of 10 miles.

All 4 mile and a half repeats ended up being exactly 9:42. I was mostly running by effort with the occasional glance at the watch, so I thought it was odd that they all were exactly the same.

Adidas Adios Boost Miles: 10.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

It was really windy and warm (61) this morning.

10 miles- Keeping it easy

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 10.00
Comments(9)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

4 recovery miles followed by a good hilly 10 mile bike ride.


 

Asics DS Racer Miles: 4.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
27.000.000.000.000.0027.00

Before I write this I want to put this diclaimer.  I know that is not a normal or recommended method of training for a marathon, but Blake and I decided to give it a try, but with much respect to the distance keeping things nice and easy.

Today we ran 27 miles, AP 8:25.  For Blake, he set a marathon PR by about 8 minutes!!!! We were at 3:40:20 at 26.2.  I felt great for the entire run and felt like I could knock out a bunch more miles at that pace when I was done.  Now I just need to make sure a recover properly from such a long run.

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 27.00
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

30 minute bike ride with a Tabata thrown in the middle

4 mile TM easy run. All felt good.

Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

My legs felt better this morning for my easy 10 miler than I think they have felt on any of my easy 10 milers recently. I ended up being about 15 seconds per mile faster than normal or than I wanted to be. I hope that doesn't come back to haunt me tomorrow when I am actually supossed to be running fast.

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 10.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.006.000.000.0010.00

1 1/2 mile warm up followed by 3 x 2 mile tempo effort (goal 13:00) with 1/2 mile recovery jog then cool down to 10 miles.

I did the first two repeates too fast and paid for it on the third, but still averaged 12:54 on the three 2 mile repeats.  Overall felt pretty good.

Adidas Adios Boost Miles: 10.00
Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Another easy 10 miles

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 10.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

4 recovery miles followed by a 10 mile bike through SARA Park.

The bike always seems to reinvigorate my legs.

Brooks PureConnect Miles: 4.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.005.000.000.000.0021.00

It was a rainy morning! I was excited to get out and run in it.  Blake and I headed out for a long run. About a quarter mile into our run, a school bus drove by and hit a puddle and soaked us from head to toe. It was cold, but we didn't have to worry about tip toeing throught the water any more since we were already soaked.  The first 15 were really easy and fun, just chatting and running, then we tried to go for mp pace for the next 5.  I was shooting for 6:50, but only managed and average of 7:10 over those 5 miles. It was a net up hill of a good 200 ft though and the last 1/2 mile was about a 5% grade, so it probably wasn't as far off mp as the numbers say.  Then 1 mile recovery where Blake and I met up again.

Total run 21 miles, AP 8:05

Sketchers Ultra Miles: 21.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

30 minutes on the stationary bike with a Tabata thrown in, then an easy 5 mile recovery run on the TM.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
229.0018.1023.000.000.00270.10
Asics Tarther Miles: 14.00Sketchers Ultra Miles: 148.00Reebok Reelflex Miles: 4.00Adidas Adios Boost Miles: 39.00Asics DS Racer Miles: 31.00Sketchers Sonic Miles: 13.10Brooks PureConnect Miles: 4.00
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