Marigold 10K Race Report

A few weeks back I ran the Marigold 10K race, as part of the Marigold Festival in Winterville, which is just down the road from where we live. Having run it last year and making the logistical mistakes I did, I signed up in advance and got there early enough to prepare.

The difference is that last year I was in better shape. Being a graduate student means my running has suffered, and I haven't placed a high enough priority on it these days. That's something I'm working on.

So-- onto the race. I laced up my old trusty Nike Pegasus 31 shoes, and for some reason chose not to wear my red Athens Road Runners tech shirt. I've got no good reason for this, but it seemed like the thing to do at the time.

I set my PR of 45:04 at this race last year. It's very flat and fast. Runners pass by the finishing area twice before coming to the actual finish. We did one loop and came back, then did a loop in another direction. The third loop is a shorter out and back. I knew I wouldn't set any speed records this day, since my training has been sporadic at best.

My half-mile splits were decent (3:40-ish) until mile 4, when a slight uphill, the sun coming out, and my lack of fitness all came into play. Splits climbed all the up to 3:59. They were better toward the end, but the damage was done-- I knew this wouldn't be my day. My time was 47:09, good for 42nd overall and 6th in my age group.

Athens Road Runners took over principal sponsorship of this event a few years back, and participation has picked up. Last year I was 30th out of 193, and took home 3rd in my age group. A time like that this year would've put me 29th, but out of 230 finishers, and no Shiny Metal Object to take home. So we're stepping things up around here.

As always, it was good to see my running friends, to get a good workout in, and to hang out at the Fleet Feet Athens tent for a bit.

Garmin 220 Product Review

            I won two fantasy football leagues this past season. One is an eight-team league I’ve been playing in for 15 years that costs nothing to play. The other league is far and away the one I care about most, and it costs $20 to play. The cost doesn’t matter—I spend 20 bucks on a lot of things that are worse than this. I won that league and scored $140 for winning the championship (thanks to Marshawn Lynch), the semifinal, plus my division.

            So I had some winnings burning a hole in my pocket. I used the skrilla to buy a new Garmin 220, taking advantage of some discounts available through work. It replaced my old G 405, which I used for almost five years, roughly 3500 miles, two marathons, and three halfs.

            I love this watch. It’s much easier to use and navigate. There is no bezel so there’s no wondering whether I’ll get to the screen I want. Everything is so accessible when I’m out there on the road. Currently I seem to like having the auto lap set to 0.62 miles because it lets me know what my 1K splits are, but I think I’ll soon go back to my old favorite of 0.5 mile splits.

            I’ve also got my heart rate data back, since my old monitor syncs with the watch. It took a few weeks for me to realize, however, that the watch won’t search for it unless it’s activated in settings.

            The time, pace, average pace, and distance are carryovers—things I still use midrun.

            A new feature is that the 220 keeps track of my cadence, or the number of footstrikes per minute. Previously I would’ve had to buy a foot pod to measure this data. Now it’s readily available. Right around 180 total strikes per minute is what’s recommended, and I’ve usually been around 178, which is a remnant of keeping track of it while bored on the treadmill. So it’s not a big thing for me, but it’s good to check occasionally.

            The old 405 had a wireless connection for uploading runs, and things weren’t always readily uploaded. Maybe it was more about the age of the computer. But I have a new computer to go with my new watch, and all I need is a USB port when my watch goes into its dock, and the run shows up pretty immediately. I don’t have to guess anymore.

            I’ve worn this watch for nearly two months and 122 miles (along with my new green RoadID that I don’t leave home without). I am a big fan of its simplicity and ease of use when running.

Monday Group

        I had to postpone Monday’s morning run to the evening, at which time I joined the 6 pm group run at Fleet Feet sports, where I also work. School has severely curtailed my ability to hang out with this crowd, but I made it this time. It’s always good to see friends. The Pearl Izumi shoe rep brought these dudes for us to take for a spin:

These are their new M3 stability shoes. They are super soft, and have lots and lots and lots of cushion. The medial side of the shoe is not colored differently (a trait of virtually any stability shoe), but the sole of the shoe does have a different color to set it apart. They are still true to their triathlon heritage in that the upper is still seamless, which plays a part in eliminating a source of rubbing and discomfort.

            I am a neutral striker so I didn’t really notice the added support, but I did notice the pillow-soft feel to them. While they are outstanding, I’m not accustomed to sinking into the shoe as I run. I felt like I had to work harder out of each stride. These would be outstanding shoes for a heavier person or someone with a heavier footstrike.

            Which brings us to the run itself. The route changed since my last group run, and it was five of the toughest miles I’ve run recently, featuring some of Athens’ most challenging hills. It helped knowing it was basically flat/slight downhill for the last mile. Postgame featured a chance to catch up with some friends, as well as a reward of yummy smoothie form the health food store across the street.

            So it makes four consecutive run days, which included 6x800 at about 3:35-3:40 per interval, and some weights on Sunday. I’m pretty sure I’m going to run the Marigold 10K in May, the same race I ran last year and set a PR. Those interval times will get me down to 7:20 per mile or better, so I’m confident I can get it done. Just have to keep after it and build a sturdy mileage base, which has been spotty at times here in the last few months.

Vacation

I recently returned from five days at my parents’ home in El Paso. It’s the first time I’ve been home in over three years, and the first time since December of 2006 that I’ve been here long enough to look around. My most recent visit was in 2011 and lasted not quite 48 hours. It was over before it really started.

            So I had time to look around and see what’s new. The locals never notice the incremental changes, but I sure paid attention to what’s different as far as how the old neighborhood looks. I couldn’t go anywhere without remembering what used to be on this street corner, or how the folks who lived here used to have an awesome Christmas display that seemed to grow every year.

            I also went outside to run for the first time. In 2011 I ran a five on the treadmill at the hotel, but it’s March and it’s perfect weather, so I laced up my Saucony Ride 3 shoes for three trips around the old joint.

            The first thing I realized is how compact it is. Walking to the park or to school seemed so far away, but it’s just a half-mile to my old high school and .6 to the adjoining elementary school I attended. I ran down streets where old friends lived, to the park where I played youth baseball, to my old junior high (it’s a middle school now), and just all over the place. I felt like I was so far away from base camp, yet my watch didn’t agree with that.

            One thing I’ll remember is running around the 400-meter track at the high school stadium, which buts right against my old elementary school (which also felt tiny). The playing surface is now fieldturf and the rickety-crickety old scoreboard has been replaced a few times over the years, and the stadium itself could tell a few stories. But for PE class as an eight-year old, we’d head over to the track for the dreaded mile run. I’d sprint out over the first 100 and spend the rest of the time mostly walking, and ending with a time north of 12 minutes. I think I even donated some flesh from both my elbows to that track, which was not yet recycled rubber in the late 1970s. The traction was not as good. I wouldn’t know what to call it, but concrete-like seems appropriate.

            I also ran some on that track after I graduated from high school, as I tried to get in shape for the physical rigors of military life. It went only slightly better than when I was a youth.

            This is some of what I brought to the track on a sun-splashed late morning. I had forgotten how gorgeous March in El Paso could be. The track coaches were nice enough to let me get my run in on the outside lanes. I doubt the kids paid any mind to the old, slow guy in the headband. I ran three laps and headed back out into the surrounding neighborhoods, not wanting to spend too much time remembering what it was like to be a kid. But it sure was a perfect day.

            I also ran with this right in my face:

 

This is what it looks like outside my front door. Never realized how much I miss it.

             Whenever I ran out of numbers for my brain to crunch, I would look up to see the Franklin Mountains staring right back at me. It’s always funny the things you miss—I saw them as I walked outside every morning for school, but didn’t really notice them. Now I miss them, as I’ve lived away from home for 25 years. It sure was great to have them as company. I saw and reminisced a lot more by running through the old hood than I would have by driving. It was great.

            Three runs, 17 miles at 3900 feet of elevation. Loved every minute of it.

            

Off Week

This week has not been a good one from a running standpoint. I had an 8:30 interview Monday morning for a class assignment, which stretched into Tuesday. By then, inertia and weather took over. The sleet and snow was coming down just a little bit too heavily Wednesday afternoon, so my run (in addition to my 1:00 class) got called on account of the weather. It wasn't until later that I realized I could go to the Y. Oh well.

So I haven't run in a week. I'm healthy, just fighting the blerch at this point.

I did work at Fleet Feet Thursday and Friday-- I like talking to/meeting people and helping them find good shoes. The store really has a good vibe and I like being a small part of it. I'm also excited about picking up a Garmin 220. I just have to figure out logistics.

Hitting the gym

I've been pleased with my training recently-- 22 miles in each of the last two weeks. Not a whole lot, but the good part is that I've been able to get out and bang a few miles pretty regularly. Nothing special as far as intervals/repeats or anything specialized, but just a good feeling knowing I've done something to help myself.

The First Lady and I also got gym memberships at the local YWCO that's right up the street from our home-- about one mile away. We looked at this place and at the Gold's Gym equivalent, which is also very close. We walked in there and they wanted to see ID and have us fill out marketing information. Truth is, they lost us in this first 30 seconds. Then they sat us down to talk numbers like we were about to buy a car. There are gobs of treadmills there and it was a really nice place, but I don't really want to belong to/pay for a joint that has a pool table in the men's locker room. 

So we went with the gym that seems a little more community-oriented. They have a pool I plan to make use of, but today I went and got on the treadmill for a fiver. I was a little short of time or I'd have run up there-- used to do that in Clay Center all the time. I got a solid workout in, beginning with two sets of lunges while I waited for a machine to open up. The run itself was dull-- Let's Make A Deal and The Price Is Right kept me occupied. I fiddled with the speed a little and got five miles done in 43:03. 

As this issue goes to press, I don't even feel like I ran-- it's like when I ran on the indoor track last month. No hills, no wind, and I didn't have to layer up. It doesn't matter though, I got miles in today on a low-impact surface and I changed the scenery a little. 

Plus, I added in some strength training. This is something I've avoided in the past but I'll pay more attention now that we've made the investment. Besides, my body has gotten a little out of control as a result of my back issues of last fall. 

Now I know

The training has gone well over the last few weeks since my last 5K. I made it to 22 miles last week, capping it with a Saturday trip to the track for 6x800 repeats that were about 3:50 per half. It was a solid effort, but I left some effort out there. 400 repeats are on the agenda for this weekend. Sure is nice when the long run is also speed day and two birds can be killed with one stone.

Speaking of the Chilly Dawg 5K, I figured out who the gentleman is who has beaten me the last two years. The guy lives in the neighborhood and he runs past the store often with one of his dogs (he has four). He'll run with one and then with another. The dogs might be Labradors, not sure on that, but they're definitely good running dogs. I think he said the other two aren't really leash-trained. The store has a metal Saucony water bowl out front which his pups take advantage of, especially when the weather heats up. He's a regular at the running store, and I spoke to him for a moment and it suddenly dawned on me. I don't think he knows who I am-- it's possible he knows me from the race or from the store, but likely not both.

It's funny how knowing who a rival is definitely makes it harder to talk smack.