S'alright

I’m back from that important mid-week long walk. And as best I can tell, I kept up a great pace for a 12.5 mile double circuit of the park. I know…I should have gone for 14 miles, but since I hadn’t been walking as slowly as I should have been; and I have a short and fast walk planned for tomorrow, I decided it made sense to stop while I was ahead. I did it in 2:44, or 13.1 minutes/mile. The best part was the fact that I did the first half in 1:22 and then duplicated that time for the final tour. Now let me extrapolate those numbers and see what I could a half marathon in…2 hours and 51 minutes. OK. Not the best, but certainly enough to keep me out of last place.

Let’s see some stats: 200 pounds, down from 210. BP 115/54 and pulse 77.

Speaking of Marathons

Tuesday is here and the long Memorial Day weekend is now history. I will be out and walking again this morning, hoping to get in a long walk of 12 miles or more before the day turns hot. I have a 4 mile race coming up on the 3rd of June and I hope to do well in it; with only 4 practice days left, I have to make them count. And of course the practice will help with the upcoming marathon in Anchorage, on the 17th of June.

Jill and I were discussing our future marathon plans yesterday while we did a fast 6 miles around Susanville. (80 minutes) She will miss the Portland event this year as the family is involved in a wedding on that date. But, the following weekend (October 7th) we will do the Susanville Bizz Johnson Trail marathon that goes from Westwood to Susanville. Since she is going to miss one of our favorite marathons, we will probably try for an early marathon (January) in Phoenix. Of course we discussed the possibility of a Hawaiian marathon and I need to do some research on that. I know there is a marathon in Honolulu, but that’s really a “Big City” marathon with high rise buildings for a backdrop. It’s a very popular event and draws a large crowd…that’s always a good thing for a walker. And there is a Maui marathon, but I’ve never been to Maui and so I’m not sure of the course? There is also a Kona coast marathon and I’m attracted to that one because it’s on the Big Island. Although I don’t find the Kona coast all that picturesque, it might be the best of the three possibilities.

(I just looked at the website for the Kona marathon and walking, not running, seems to be the preferred method of propulsion for that one! The website is sparse and I’m not able to get a good idea of the course.)

OK, I just looked at another website, this one with pictures and a review of the course. And just as I thought, the majority of the course would be on the bleak highway that leads to and from Kailua-Kona. It’s not a pretty picture!…well, it’s still a possibility but it goes to third place in my list of possible Hawaiian marathons.

(Later) I’m back from a fast walk. I decided to do a fast one today and a longer, slower one tomorrow. I didn’t have anything to eat this morning and decided that it might be risky behavior for a long walk and I will be sure and have breakfast tomorrow before I start. How fast was it? According to one clock, I did the 6.25 miles in 79 minutes. That’s a good 12.64 minute/mile pace. There was some confusion about the time as my GPS unit said 1:14. That would have given me an 11:84 minute/mile, but the clock in my car said 1:19. And I do remember hitting one milestone a good 4 minutes earlier than normal…so did I or didn’t I do the faster time? I’m going with the conservative number and will try it again on Thursday to see if I can replicate that time.

Cool

It was a good day in the park. Cool, around 55° and a light wind. I wasn’t sure just how far I wanted to go so I set off to see how I felt. And I felt fast…I ended up doing the 6.25 mile circuit in 81 minutes, a 12.96 minute/mile time and that was good enough.

As I was walking, I was also thinking about the various blogs I write and I decided that it was time for me to cut back. I don’t receive much validation for it and so it seems to be an exercise in futility. I enjoy the writing (as a good mental exercise) and I will probably continue with my own personal journal.

I do have 3 marathons left to do this year and I will probably write a little bit about them. And I will post some pictures of the garden once in awhile…

4 Miles - Faster

It was time for another 4 mile fast paced walk. I started off with a good first mile time of 11:48 and then made it to the turn around in 22:32 (11.16). I slowed some on the way back, doing the 3rd mile in 12.32 and finishing the 4th mile with a time of 12.77. Now if I add all that up I come up with a total of 47.41 minutes! Alright! – Under 12 minutes per mile. I did this a few weeks ago and my time was 48:22. I like it…

And I saw a sign of summer while I was out and about in the park – the park crew was getting the swimming hole at 1-Mile ready for its re-opening. They had diverted Big Chico Creek and were about to clean out the sand bars that the winter floods had deposited on the bottom of the pool. I wonder if there’s any gold in that gravel?

That one is over and

The results are…2:46 for 12.5 miles. That would be a 13.28 minute/mile average and that’s not bad at all for that distance. If I had gone for another .6 miles, or a half marathon distance…that would have been a 2 hour and 54 minute time. Let’s see, I think I did the Bidwell Classic, back in March, in 2:51:17, or just 3 minutes faster.

Despite the cloudy and cool weather, I did need some extra water for this effort. For some reason, I’ve been very thirsty lately and this morning was no exception.

I had a few foot problems this time…sock related. I really should throw out all of the old socks I have and get some new ones. The shoes did just great and I really like the new non-loosening shoe laces.

Only 8

I had a pretty good practice yesterday. I did the usual 6.25 miles in 1:24 and since it was so ordinary…I decided to add a few more miles to it, making it an even 8 miles. I would have liked to have done 10 miles, but I got a late start and the temps were already rising. The good news was that the shoes were comfortable. Very much so.

(The weight afterwards was also good news – 200.4)

I’m going to start a little earlier this morning and see if I can’t get in a 12 miler.

More Training

I just got back from a pretty good training walk. It’s a cloudy and humid day here and so I wasn’t all that fast, but I was consistent. I started off at a slow pace and gradually built on that, doing the 6.25 miles in a pretty much ordinary 1:24 (13.44 minute/mile) Then I decided to tack on some more mileage and went for another 30 minutes at about the same pace. That gives me 8.5 miles total for the day. My plan is to try for a 14 mile walk tomorrow and then a 19 miler by the end of the week. And I can’t forget to get in a fast 4 mile walk sometime this week as well.

I’m including a photo of the marathon medal from a few weeks ago. It’s pretty nice, though grandson, Steven, said, “Where’s the other shoe?”

Sure, I will admit that I do marathons for the “jewelry”. It’s not the sole reason, but it certainly helps. In fact, the reason I did my first marathon was because of a medal (not my own). And if you’ve heard this story before, just click on your browser’s Back button.

It was about 1999 and I was in our Tigard, Oregon office and training some estimators to use computers. I needed a temporary office and I found an abandoned office on the second floor, in the back. It had a telephone and an internet connection so it would be my “hangout” when I wasn’t training. After setting up my computer, I spotted a large bronze medal hanging from a bulletin board nearby. It was a medal from the 1997 Portland Marathon. I looked at it and wondered…first; who left this medal behind? and then, could I ever do a marathon? I saw that medal all week; always fascinating me. And it was still there when I made a repeat trip in about 6 months. It seemed to challenge me. And in 2001, I received my own finishers medal!

Shoes!

Shoes and more shoes...it's a recurring problem; trying to find the "right" ones for racewalking and marathons. I have pretty much figured out that the NB 111's are fine for the short courses, up to 10K but not much beyond that. They are definitely lighweight...and ugly.

Now I'm trying out a pair of NB 1060's and they seem to be pretty good for the long haul. Heavy, at almost 11 oz. But very "springy". The only problem so far is that the shoe rises at the heel more than the 111's, almost 1" more and that has caused some blisters on the Achilles area.

I'm still looking for the perfect shoe. Where is it?

Saturdays Stats

I just got back from a fast walk. I decided to do a 4 miler as I have a couple of 4 mile races scheduled for the end of this and next month. So it made sense to see how fast I can do it now. Of course it all adds up to increased endurance for the marathons ahead of us this season.

I started on the “right” side of Bidwell Park and right at the 1 mile marker. The first mile was clocked at 11:33 and I certainly felt the strain. At the 2 mile turnaround, I had a time of 23:22. (11.61 minutes/mile) I eased back a little on the second half and felt more in control. I finished that two mile lap in 25 minutes, or 12.5 minute/miles. Overall, 4 miles in 48:22 and that is a respectable12.06 minute/mile.

Then it was time for a cup of coffee at Bidwell Perk; a disappointment. Not a full cup, too much foam and the price of a scone had risen to $3.25! I suppose that’s a good thing…I didn’t buy it at that price and that helps with any weight problems I might have.

Weight 201! BP 121/62 and pulse 67

Redux

I’m just back from a long walk (10 miles) at the park. I did it in 125 minutes and that means 12.5 minute/miles. Now does that sound like a guy that couldn’t get a marathon completed in less than 14.5 minute miles, just 3 days ago? OK, I’m just trying to make sense of it and I know I wasn’t 100% ready for the distance, but I was even less prepared for the course itself. Final word: The Avenue of the Giants marathon is not for racewalkers. If you’re a fitness walker, you should do this marathon and do it in 7 hours or more. Enjoy the view…I didn’t. And bring your own food for the end of the race.

I did enjoy the earlier hour at the park; a lot less people to contend with and so I will try that tomorrow, getting there a little after 6.

Statistics: I just checked my weight and I’m at 205. Now let’s see what my BP and pulse are. 116/67 and 64. Not bad at all. I’m not in the best of shape but I’m not that bad either.

The Next One

Here I am, awake early on a Tuesday morning and I have to say that I feel pretty good, despite doing that most painful marathon on Sunday. That’s a good thing, as it really was a training marathon and it’s nice to be able to say that I’m not injured from it. I’m not sure that I’m ready for another one real soon, but I can imagine my doing one in June with no problem. And that’s good – because that’s when we have another one scheduled! It’s Anchorage, Alaska on June 17th and that’s only 39 days from now.

The training plans are for longer and faster walks. I will try for at least 3 walks each week of 10 to 12 miles and one of 16. Once around the park won’t cut it anymore and I need speeds of 13 minute miles or less each time. Then throw in a few 18 milers during the next month and I should be good to go.

Avenue of the Giants Marathon

OK. It’s over. That had to be the worst marathon I have ever completed. As much as I would like to fault the marathon itself, I can’t. I simply wasn’t in the best of shape. Oh, there were plenty of things wrong with the course, starting with the first half, which is a 13.1 mile loop Out and In on Bull Creek Road. To call it a road is a mistake. It was very much like a trail run, rough and uneven. Plus a constant up and down in elevation. The official course remarks make no mention of the surface, which really slowed the racewalkers.

And as long as I’m complaining, we weren’t too happy with the “Early Bird” (8:00) start for walkers and 9:00 for runners, which meant that an hour and a half later the runners began running through our ranks. We had almost made the turnaround point when the runners showed up and passed through. Then it was a struggle to keep out of the way for the next 45 minutes while runners took up most of the “road”.

To tell the truth, as we came back to the starting area and made a right turn onto the Avenue of the Giants road, I had two distinct thoughts – One; I should stop now and call it a fair half marathon. Two; at least we were past the crowds and the road looked much improved. And the road was better but my feet weren’t. I had to stop two more times to put on bandages and re-lace the shoes.

Now the miles came slow and hard. It seemed like we were on an incline for the next 7 miles. Not a steep one, but one that sucked our energy away. By the time we reached the turnaround at 19.5 miles, we were both dragging. (And very glad the other was there to encourage!) And on the way back down the mountain, I got my second wind and hoped that it would last till the finish line. It didn’t. Every time we came to a sunlit stretch, the heat would slow us down. And by mile 22, we were walking and had given up on racewalking. (Racewalking requires some fine motor skills that disappear in extreme fatigue) But we persevered and pretty soon we could see the bridge that we had to cross to make it to the finish. Our energy picked up as we came off of the bridge and with a couple hundred feet left to go, I asked Jill if she wanted to go for it? She did and we actually ran the remaining distance, crossing the finish line a second apart…and with a finish time of 6:19:57. Almost half an hour slower than our time last October in Portland. And all of the promised food was gone.

Were there any positives? Well, the race to the finish was my highlight. I never saw the redwoods after the first 3 miles. You had to concentrate on road if you didn’t want to get hurt. We walked through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and never saw it. Oh, we did get a cool t-shirt and a medal and I guess that’s positive.

I doubt that we will ever do the Avenue of the Giants marathon again. It’s certainly not suited for racewalkers. And the mixing of runners and walkers is foolish and dangerous for both groups on a narrow one-lane road.

And we both need to be in better shape for the next competition. For weeks ahead of time, we had told ourselves that this was simply a practice event for us. Not to worry! But once you start, the competitive juices begin to flow and then it became much more serious than just a practice walk. Shame on us.

Almost There!

Jill and I are heading to the coast later this morning, en route to our latest marathon adventure, the Avenue of the Giants 26 miler. Since it’s going to be a walk in the redwood forests of Humboldt County, it’s also going to be a very scenic and cool marathon. (65°) And it comes with a medal and t-shirt reward for the finishers. We love our rewards!  

This is going to be a much different experience from that of the Portland marathon. Instead of participants numbering in the thousands, we’ll see only hundreds. And no large crowds to cheer us on…only the giant redwoods to watch us pass by.

I think we’re prepared for the race; mentally if not physically. I had a couple of down days last week where I wasn’t sure that I even wanted to do it? But now that the day is almost here, I’m excited about it once again. As I’ve said before, marathons are mostly a mental exercise.

Sore Again

I just got back from a slow walk around the park. I took 87 minutes to make the 6.25 mile trip. A pace of 13.92 minute/mile. I really didn’t want to go much faster as I was still getting some pain around the site of Saturday’s heel blister. But other than that nagging pain, all went well. Now I’m wondering if I shouldn’t try for a short walk tomorrow. Or should I rest until Sunday morning and the marathon? Decisions, decisions!

Slow or Fast?

Fast or slow? I had this plan…you know how plans are. And I was going to do a slow and long walk today, followed with a faster one tomorrow. Followed by a long and slow walk on Wednesday. But, as it turned out, I felt the urge for speed this morning and did a 5 mile walk in 62 minutes. No, that’s not the fastest I’ve ever gone before. But it was a pretty good pace after a grueling 17 mile walk on Saturday.

So now what’s the plan? Long and slow tomorrow. Day off on Wednesday. Fast/short distance on Thursday and two days off before the marathon on Sunday morning.