Walk and run

No, I haven't forgotten to train. I'm just lax in posting the results here.

I was out for a 3 mile walk on Tuesday, but forgot my GPS unit, so I just went fast and called it good. Then I took Wednesday off to get some chores done. I went out for 4 miles this morning and although I was keeping track for about 3/4 of the way, I decided to take the softer dirt route and ran across a PAR course. OK, so I stopped and used some of the equipment and got in a little bit of upper body exercise. I would exercise and then run to the next station. I may make this a regular walk/run/exercise for a few days a week.

And the reason I took the dirt path was because I had seen Lin Jensen (Chico's other racewalker) running on it just ahead of me. Running? I didn't know Lin ran at all...

Don't know why

I seem to have forgotten to post here recently. I haven't stopped walking... in fact I did a good 2 miler yesterday; getting in the two miles in 25:40 minutes. That's 12:50 minute miles and pretty good for me. And despite my 'inner voice' saying, 'It's cold. Wouldn't you rather do something else?' I am going out for another practice this morning. Really!

Feeling Fine

Very good! I thought I would take it easy this morning and when I started off I found it easier than usual to get get right past that 'why am I doing this?' stage and within a few minutes, I was actually enjoying myself. I took a look at the GPS unit and I was clocking 4.7 mph and that's fairly fast. I did the first 1.5 miles in 20 minutes, giving me 13.33 minute/miles. The final 3 miles (total) was done in 41 minutes, or 13.66 minute miles. And I felt fine!

The weight still isn't mentionable...but it's coming off.

6 hours later...BP138/68 Pulse 67

Briefly

I haven’t mentioned the past few days in the park. I better get it on record before I forget. Monday, I was ready and able for a faster walk and I was hoping for something in the 12.5 minute/mile range. So I went out and did my best? This ended up being a 13.10 minute/mile average for 2 miles. Disappointing, yes, but still in the ballpark of reasonable times. Yesterday was a rainy day, but not so bad that I couldn’t go walking. It was still warm, in the low 50’s and so the little bit of rain was not noticed. I did a 3.29 mile walk in 43.40 minutes. A 13.22 average. Not any improvement at all. But I can take some comfort in the fact that I did the first half in 21 minutes. Now that’s an average of 12.4 minute miles.

Yes, I'm going out again this morning...

Photo Op

A very nice day in the park. Although it was cold, maybe 28°, I was dressed for it and I really wasn’t going to go very fast this morning. The goal was simply to get in some miles. I even brought Laurae’s camera so that I could take a photo if the opportunity came along.

After a mile or two I settled into a pace that was close to 14.5 minutes per miles, a good one for cardio. And I took pictures.

After about 5 miles, I could feel some pain in both my right knee and the left heel; my trouble spots. So I slowed down and walked back in, 6.3 miles total and I maintained an average of 15 minutes per miles, including the Kodak moments.

And the BP was good this morning! I took it twice to be certain. 102/63 with a pulse of 63

3.29

Not the fastest 3.29 miles. I feel like I'm in a rut. I did it in 45 minutes, or 13.68 minutes/mile.

I will admit that I felt fine going out and my race walking style was quite smooth. Just like it's supposed to be. But the speed isn't there and it's frustrating. But, hey! It's all about cardio...right?


BP 133/57 Pulse 68

A little bit better

Another successful day in the park. I decided to see if I could get in a fast two miles and I set out with that as a goal. No, it wasn’t the fastest; not in that fierce wind, but it was faster than yesterday. I ended up with a 13.06 minute/mile average for the two miles. I still have the cough and the persistent pain in my right knee and my left heel. (That's my excuse and sticking with it!) Though they seem to go away while I’m actually exercising and only return after I’ve been sitting for awhile.

BP is 130/61 Pulse is 58

Not Yet

I’m back from a good walk, a fast walk. Since the sun was out and the temperatures weren’t too bad, I tried for a better time than yesterday. But first… I should tell you that I’m not to be trusted. Before I even left the house, I was making excuses; ‘Well, I walked pretty fast yesterday, maybe fast enough that I could stay home today and get some stuff done around here.’ No. Stop that! And get in the car right now! I did.

The first mile went by at a 13.5 minute/mile pace and I finished up at the 2 mile marker with a 27.5 time for the first half. I decided to see if I could get my body moving on the way back and did some 100 yard jogs every now and then. I ended up with a 24.5 minute time for the second half. That’s 12.25 minute/miles and it felt pretty good. 4.68 miles total

At the finish line I was greeted by the famed sportscaster, Otto G. Grimley who was eager to interview me.

Otto: Welcome, sports fans to the 382^nd running of the S.W. Dunn 6 point Something K Invitational Race. Here with us is S.W. himself. How are you feeling Steve?

S.W.: Oh. Wow…Hi, Otto. Well, (hack, hack,) I guess I’m OK. Now. Like, how’d I do?

Otto: Well, Steve, according to our official timers, it looks like an average of 13.25 minute/miles for the 4.68 miles. That’s far off your best time of 11.13 recorded during the 123^rd running of this classic race. What was giving you a problem today, Steve?

S.W.: Oh, man! It was like, well it was…ya know? It was like I had this real bad pain in my right knee and then (hack, hack) like I have this bad cough. Ya know? And you knew about my left heel, right?

Otto: Well, it certainly looked like you were struggling out there today, Steve. Tell us, will you be ready for the 383^rd running of this fabulous race, which is scheduled for this coming Thursday?

S.W.: Man. I don’t know…(hack, hack) I was like really suffering today. But, ya know, I’ll be like giving it my best shot on Thursday. Say…is that a camera?

Otto: Yes, that’s our television cameras.

S.W.: Cool! Hi honey! (waves)

BP 124/64 Pulse57

I'm not putting the weight in here till it drops below 210

Progress?

A busy day. I did get a good walk in and so I’m healthier… or I feel that way even if I’m not. My last walk was on Saturday and I did a 3 mile course with just under 13 minute/miles; I’m going to call it an average of 12.9999 minutes per mile. Then I was off on Sunday, a day of rest.

Today was a little slower. I didn’t get over 4.2 mph in my 38.5 minute walk. I’m estimating a distance of 2.76 miles for the day. Yes, 13.95 minute miles. Must have been the cold!

After the walk… no good news in the weight department. I’m stuck. Yes, my stomach is firmer, but the weight is still there.

BP was 124/71 Pulse 69

Vry Shrt

Just two miles. But, I did them in 27 minutes total...

Not record shattering times, but it was a nice way to warm up on a chilly fall day.

BP is 128/66 Pulse is 66

A Good One

OK, 5 miles and I was using my 'old' shoes. I didn't realize it until I got out of the car at One Mile. 'What? Where are my almost new and very technical looking New Balance shoes and what are these ugly things doing on my feet?' I survived and came up with a 13.8 minute/mile average for the distance. I really need to look at my feet before I leave the house!

BP 128/68 and Pulse 67

Crowded

How was I to know? I ended up being just a little bit late to get to the parking lot at One Mile this morning and found every space filled. Yesterday, and 30 minutes earlier... I had the parking area to myself. Since my morning routine was no longer 'routine', I decided to go for a different route. And I must admit that my first thought was to go for a quick 30 minutes, get the heart rate up and call it good. (I am not to be trusted when it comes to committing myself to exercise) But, I overcame my baser instincts and went out for 44 minutes. I don't know the mileage, as I took a new route and my GPS unit couldn't acquire a satellite.

BP 117/68 Pulse 57

Simple

A simple thing. 4 miles at 14.07 minutes per mile. Just far enough and fast enough to give you some good cardio exercise, but not so fast that you might injure yourself... when you're not feeling all that good (cough!) My first thought was to stroll and not racewalk at all, but it wasn't long before I had picked up the pace and was 'strolling' at about 4.2 mph. After a mile or so, I thought I might as well go a little faster and I ended up with a 4.4 mph average.

BP is 119/65 Pulse is 69

Do the 1st ten, last!

No, I wasn't feeling all that good; coughing! But I still did OK, getting in 3.29 miles in 44 minutes. The first ten minutes were the worst, as usual, but once I was warmed up I forgot about the aches and pains and concentrated on the 'good feelings' that my pace was generating. And that pace was 13.37 minute/miles...

BP 111/60 Pulse 72

2.58X2

= 5.16 and that's the number of miles I walked today. Up the road from One Mile to Manzanita Avenue and then back again. I did the first mile slow enough, 14.13 minute/mile. The time for the first half was even more relaxed; 14.34 minute/miles. So I decided to give it a little kick on the way back, getting up to 13.56 minute/miles average for the second half.

The best part of the day was when I was putting on my shirt before I left the house. I looked in the mirror and noted that my stomach was noticeably flatter. The weight is still the same, but it's not hanging completely over my belt...if I wore one. Progress is always appreciated!


BP 117/66 Pulse 73

Two Miles vs 30 Miles

As planned, I walked the two miles this morning with an eye on keeping my pace in the 12 minute range. And I did the first mile in 12:43; not bad. Coming back, I tried to keep up the pace and finished in 12:39...yes, it was downhill.

BP is 119/69 with a pulse of 60. I can see some progress! Weight is 216. Needs work.

Some stray thoughts from the walk: 1. I guess I will have to plan on walking for health for the rest of my life. My bad habit of eating means that I need to exercise every day. As soon as I relax and take a break from the walking, I gain weight and the blood pressure goes up. 2. Since I have planned on a marathon for next year, I need to prepare myself mentally as well as physically for the distance. What I've done in the past was to work my way up to 21 miles over a period of 4 months. The thought is that if you can do 21 miles, the excitement of race day will make the remaining 5.2 miles easy for you. And it works. But I thought I might start doing some 30 milers around June, in preparation for the marathon date in late September. In the 3 months I could do 4 or 5 of the 30 mile walks. If you can do 30, 26.2 is a snap! 30 miles is about a 7 hour walk.

History

Yes, I did get in a practice yesterday. And once again I did it without a regular timing device, just the clock in the car...

I started off from One Mile just as a 'fast' walker went by and so I followed, hoping to overtake them. I did, but it certainly was the wrong way to start the walk. An early sprint is NOT the way to get warmed up. I settled into a comfortable pace after that and tried to recover from that quick burst. I was having some pain in my left heel and that didn't leave until I was at the halfway point. Then it was easy to make my way back and I did it in 45 minutes. That's one minute slower than the day before, but still a good time. (13.68 minute/miles)

Today will be a short and fast walk...2 miles and aiming for 12.5 minute/miles. Sunday is an off day and that allows your body to rebuild after the 2 miles of 'tearing down' on Saturday.

Whole Foods

Presents New Times

My sister and brother in law are doing this one on Sunday. The 5K walk. I wish I was there with them! The last time I was in the Phoenix area (January 2007) I was racewalking the P.F. Chang 1/2 marathon and it was COLD. Something like 23 degrees at race time. I bet they have better weather for this one. My niece is doing the 10K run...Go Erin!

Obsessions

I better post yesterday's results here before we head down to the big city. No walking today.

It turned out quite well. The same 3.29 miles as yesterday but in 3 minutes less time. I had the usual 1/2 mile of painful motion and then it all straightens out for me and becomes enjoyable. It took almost 1.5 miles before I broke a sweat and that's good. The right leg was behaving itself and all was well.

Final; 13.3 minute miles and I think it was because I had forgotten to turn my GPS unit on and had to leave it in the truck. I spend too much time obsessing over my pace when I have it on.

Hanging In...

I'm still going after the goal. A 37 minute 5K. I suffered a slight setback and missed a couple of days of practice when my right leg gave me a problem. I haven't identified the muscles that are causing the pain, I just know that they are behind the knee joint and don't take well to side pressure of any kind.

This morning was pretty typical for me. 3.29 miles in 47 minutes. Or a little over 14 minute miles. Certainly not my best attempt. But after about 2 miles I began to feel a little stress in the right leg and slowed down to accomodate it.

120/58 and a pulse of 71

Paces

I have completed a backwards course of 2.93 miles in just 41 minutes. Backwards because I started at Cedar Grove and then walked east and back around to my starting point. It always helps to have a different perspective, especially when you walk in this park as often as I do. And tomorrow I will try the same starting point and go the opposite way.

I wish I could say that it was all fun and games, but it wasn’t. I started off feeling like I was dragging all 17 pounds of my extra weight as I walked; draped around my neck and dragging on the ground. Gross! But on the bright side, I could also visualize the calories being dragged off as well. Calories? They look like little bb’s of fat and they leave a greasy spot on the pavement.

After about a mile of that kind of mental torture, I got myself up to 4.3 mph and continued in that manner for the duration.

BP is 131/66 with a pulse of 75 and a weight of 217. And I'm about 4 minutes off of my pace...

Coffee Anyone?

I better take my early AM blood pressure readings and then prepare to get myself on the road. A short walk this morning. Okay, BP is 132/71 with a pulse of 66. And I was thinking yesterday; without my tape recorder… that part of the reason for the sore feet was my increased weight. Duh! But, wouldn’t that also mean that I was getting a better workout by having to haul so much lard around the park? Yes! Weight training! And if I lose weight, won’t I be cheating myself out of an opportunity to gain additional strength by hauling it around? Sounds like a no-win situation. Maybe I should walk while eating and keep things just as they were. Just kidding.

(Later) After returning from a satisfactory 3.3 mile walk in 46.5 minutes (14.1 minute/miles) and having a medium sized latte at Bellachino’s Coffee shop, my blood pressure readings are 126/76 with a pulse of 73.

Now I think I have found my new favorite coffee shop; Bellachino’s. Nice atmosphere with plenty of magazines and newspapers. They want you to be comfortable. The menu looks pretty good as well, with gardenburgers available. I will try parking the truck down by Cedar Grove and then after my walk, it’s a simple drive up 8^th Street to the coffee shop.

The coffee shop that has proven to be the most disappointing is Higher Grounds. We went in for a cup a few weeks ago, just before Kyle’s game, and when I asked if there were any newspapers available to buy, I was told, “Yes. Across the parking lot and over at the liquor store. They have a machine.” Amazing!

YouTube for Walkers

The Race Walking Challenge...

And how to do it

Stop laughing. It's an Olympic sport... and what are you doing right now? Sitting in front of your computer. Get up and take a walk.

I'm ready...

I’ve had my breakfast of hot whole grain cereal, the kind that gets into the spaces between your teeth. Must brush! I think Dad used to call it ‘Nature’s broom,” And he ate a bowl of that ‘mush’ every day. Then I’m off to walk in the park. Day two of my rehab effort. But first, my blood pressure before I go…139/81 with a pulse of 65.

(Later) It was a good effort. I had some initial pain to overcome; lactic acid! Even so, the first mile went by at a faster pace than I wanted, a mile in 13.8 minutes, so I slowed it down and did the second mile with a 14.28 average for two miles. And as I reached the Manzanita end of the park trail I spotted a brand new bridge over the creek. I was going to make a simple turn around and head back, but the bridge beckoned and I crossed over before settling into a POFW pace instead of the racewalking stride. And then I passed my marker for the 5K distance and I had done that in 43 minutes, just 4 minutes off my race pace. OK, back to racewalking. I continued on and went back across the creek at Cedar Grove and then finished up back at the truck in 1 hour and 15 minutes. That’s an average of 14.42 minutes per mile.

Afterwards, at home again… BP is 131/64 Pulse is 79 and weight is 215.6, a drop of 2.4 pounds in 2 days.

And he's off!

A beautiful day in the park! I can tell you that I was pleasantly surprised to be able to fall right back into the racewalking gait. All very smooth. I guess muscle memory saves me once again. I didn’t want to overextend myself this morning and become injured, so had to fight an urge to go faster; which I could have. OK, maybe just a little bit faster. The competitive spirit is still there and I wanted to prove to myself that I still had the ability to racewalk against all comers. Not.

I was pleasantly warmed up after the first mile, which I did in 14.4 minutes. My original plan to walk a slow 6 miler went by the wayside and I decided to do 4 miles at a good pace. The results are… BP=131/72 Pulse=74 after doing 4 miles in 56.5 minutes at an average pace of 14.125 minutes per mile. If I were doing a 5K race, my usual; I would have done it in a little over 42 minutes. My last outing, back in May, I was averaging 12.26 minutes per mile and I did the 4 miler in a shade over 49 minutes. So I’m 7 minutes off my pace; I’m good with that!

Pre Day One

It starts again. The long term goal is a longer life and a healthier one. Short term; it's a 5K race now and then for the next year. Maybe half a dozen? A little further out; September of next year will be my 6th marathon and it will be in Portland. If you have never done a marathon, walking or running, Portland is the place to be for your first one.

Bonus: With the completion of the 6th marathon, I will have 6 little 'running man' figures tattooed on my left calf. It's for me.

A reminder

OK, it's over. The Portland Marathon went off without me this year and I'm ashamed. I wasn't there, but I will be back! I would rather not do it by myself, but I have in the past and I can do it again. Anyone want to do it with me? It's just 11+ months of training and then a spectacular finish...you'll love it!

Masters Results

No, it wasn't my best effort. But for a racewalker, it wasn't bad...12:26 minute miles.

Take a look at the ages of some of the racers...

It's Over Once Again...

The Fleet Feet 2007 Masters 4 Mile Race.

It wasn't the best of race days...but it will do. I started off with a good attitude and a fairly fast (for me) pace. I didn't wear any timing devices as I didn't want get obsessed and upset by my performance or lack of it. And within a mile I found my shoe laces flopping in the breeze...Darn! So I had to stop and fix that and then I ran to get myself back into the spot that I had just vacated. running is not good for a race walker! But I persevered and tried to keep some racers within my sight. I was afraid to look behind me...I would have been very depressed if I had been last. (I wasn't) Anyway, I kept hoping that when I saw the clock at the finish it would read somewhere around 52 minutes. I would be content with that. And then during the final mile I was all by myself again, something that I hate because it just slows me down. But when I finally saw the clock, it was reading 48??? So I hurried for the finish and got in around 49:03. I think. The results will be on the Fleet Feet website later today. Last years' time was 48:37. Since I didn't feel all that good this morning, I was quite happy to see how close to last years time I was.

And during the awards, I found that I was first in my age group; 65-69 year old. Last year I was in second place.

Let's say it was 49:03; that makes for a 12:26 minute per mile average. OK!

What Fun!

I did get in a longer practice yesterday; 5.16 miles and all done in 68 minutes. Far too long, but at least I was out and doing it. There were a couple of racing events at the park that I didn’t know about; one, a bicycle race and the other seemed to be a 6 mile run? Usually I know about these before they happen, but not this time. Plus, there was concrete work being done at a new picnic site and that involved cars and trucks’ moving along what is normally a closed road. With all of the cycling activity in the park, I was glad to finish and get out of there.

Cyclists are always the rudest of athletes. OK, not all…but most. They seem to go out of their way to see how close they can come to hitting you without actually making contact. In my future life, I see myself walking in the park with my cane. I will be wearing glasses that hold a small rear-view mirror and when I see a cyclist just about to overtake me, I will begin to flail my cane all about. Dancing and gyrating. Maybe jabbing my cane into the spokes to hear the funny sound it makes? I want to make Bidwell Park the home of the “Mad Walker” and know that cyclists dread seeing me; never knowing when I will attack. They might even learn to ride far to the left of me and to announce their presence as some of the more civil cyclists do.

The Future?

I did get in a good walk yesterday, though not the fastest. I’m well on my way to giving up on the competitive race walking. Without someone to walk with once in awhile, it’s simply depressing. And I seem to get slower and slower because of it; which just compounds the problem.

When I was walking and training with the members of the Sierra Race Walkers, I had no trouble staying focused and becoming faster with each training session. But there’s no such thing here. The only competitive walking you see is at Costco where the race is on to see what snacks they’re giving away. Is that my future?

I just checked my blood pressure and it’s back into the 130’s. Darn it! I need to get it back to somewhere between 120 and 110. And it’s walking that will do that. Or cycling? I’m thinking of getting a decent seat on the bike and doing some cycling every other day. The only thing that keeps me away from the bike is fear. Automobiles and bicycles don’t mix and you can’t trust drivers to see you.

Civility

I suppose I better see what kind of weather we have in store for us. I’ve been outside, (to call the cat) in the dark, and couldn’t see any stars, so I guess we have a cloudy future. Here it is, “A 50 percent chance of rain after 11am. Cloudy, with a high near 61. South wind between 8 and 17 mph.”

If the forecast is correct, I can get in a good walk this morning before the rain starts. I did a 4 mile walk yesterday but without a timer, so I’m not sure of my performance. But it was good for me no matter how long it took.

And yesterday’s walk deserves some comments: The weather was OK but the timing was off. I started at a time when the “mommy brigade” was starting their walk through the park and they have this unfortunate habit of taking up the entire pathway with themselves and their strollers. They are unable to walk in pairs, or even in groups of 3 or 4. Anyone passing them or coming towards them has to detour out into the woods to get around them. Which I did.

And then there were the dog walkers and their bad habit of holding lengthy meetings in the middle of the pathway. Three dog walkers with 4 dogs each on retractable leashes makes a formidable barrier for the unencumbered walker; me. I was finally noticed and they reeled in a few dogs and allowed me to pass.

There were the usual nice folks out there and we exchanged greetings as we usually do; then, as I was returning, a cyclist passed me without warning. There wasn’t another person in sight but he chose to pass me with a foot or less of clearance. Jerk!

What’s with this lack of civility? Are people being raised without any sense of what’s right and wrong? Or just plain old good manners? I know…it’s always been this way, even in the “good old days” and these people won’t change. You see them everywhere; men with hats on while inside and eating. People spitting. Cutting in line ahead of you. Interrupting you. The final insult was my getting stuck behind a women wearing perfume while walking. What was she thinking? On and on it goes.

I should also mention one of my favorite sights in the park, just so you don’t think I’m a perpetual grouch. There is an older man that walks a short distance each day; maybe a mile. He is usually dressed in a Japanese style robe and wears Japanese sandals. He’s not Japanese and he appears to be about 60 years old. Balding, but with a short ponytail and always wearing sunglasses. He also walks with a pronounced limp, as if one knee were fused. He uses a cane.

And what I enjoy most is the fact that he is often accompanied by a black cat. The cat follows about ten feet behind him and at the same pace; stopping to sit whenever the man pauses. I wish I knew more of this story…

More Better

A good day in the park. I did the 5.16 miles in 66 minutes, giving me a 12.79 minute/mile average. And I lost some weight in the process.... going down to 205.8.

I hadn't used the park for about a month and so I was surprised to see how much spring growth has occured since my last circuit. It's lush! And the temperatures are just right; 58 degrees and rising to 70 by the time I finished.

BP 114/61 & Pulse 71...Now that's much better!

I will take the day off tomorrow; Easter, you know. Then resume the practice on Monday AM.

Ooops!

It’s time for me to get out into the park and get in some serious exercise. Yesterday I signed up for the Fleet Feet Masters 4 Mile race next month and just doing that should keep me motivated. It’s a small race with only those over the age of 40 eligible. The plan is to do the 2.5 mile stretch from One Mile to Manzanita and back. That will give me a 5 mile workout and so the 4 mile race should be a breeze? I will do that about 4 or 5 times a week. And with $17 invested, I may be willing to try exercising even more often than that.

OK. The morning training is over and a 13.17 minute/mile was the pace for the first 5.16 mile training distance. Not bad, but certainly not my best. Could it be my weight? 209. Bad dad! That’s 9 pounds over my usual? weight. What did I do the 4 Mile Masters in last year? 48:37 minutes and that made it a 12.09 minute/mile pace. Now that’s what I need to shoot for and I have just one month to get ready. And one month to lose about 9 pounds.

Sacramento DJ

Finishes 92.5-Mile Run -

I know Paul. I used to run with him on Saturdays. Correction; I racewalked and he ran. And I remember telling him that I wanted to join the "Centurions". That's an elite group of those who have walked or have run a 100 miles in 24 hours. That's a 14.4 minute/mile average. easily doable for a marathon distance. But 100 miles?

Good for you Paul!

Official Results

OK, the Bidwell times are now posted and I did the half in 2:55:08.3 with a pace of 13.22 minute/miles. Phoenix was completed in 2:54:45, so I slipped a little. Yes, I beat a few people but look at the times of those race walkers who beat me. And if you look at the 5K results, you can see that a 35 or 37 minute finish for a race walker puts them in a respectable place among the finishers. So why should I bother doing a half marathon? Almost 3 hours in the heat and you get a cup of cold coffee and a cookie…oh, I forgot; you get a t-shirt as well.

Yes, it’s true…it’s all about the food!

What is the plan now? I guess I will start doing 5 milers; that's up to Manzanita and a return to One Mile. With a constant training diet of fast 5 mile walks...a 5K will be easy and a 10K will a slight strain. The goal will be to do the walk in one hour.

Over and Done With

OK, it’s over and I did as well as could be expected. Maybe even better. According to my watch; I had a 2:54 time. (13.28 minute/mile) I’m sure I can find the official results tomorrow on the CRC website.

But…I think it’s my last half marathon. At the very least, it’s the last Bidwell Classic ½ marathon. No, I wasn’t last, but it certainly felt like it. Because the 5K walk is now included in the days activities, those who might have walked the ½ marathon decided to do the 5K instead. That meant that I spent the last 7 miles with no competition at all. Not a soul around me. And it’s hard enough being out there and giving your all, but with no one to even see you or talk to you…it’s pretty depressing. Before the race, I looked around for a face I knew and I spotted a couple of people from Sierra Race Walkers, but they didn’t remember me.

Anyway, back to the race. I started off fairly fast, doing the first two miles with an average of 12.3 minute miles. That’s too fast and so I slowed it down to a 4.5 mph average. After an hour had gone by, I knew I was not going to enjoy this race; there were only 2 or 3 people anywhere near me and they were all runners. I had already passed all of the very slow runners and would never see them again.

I kept the 4.5 average until mile 9 and then it slipped to 4.4 and there it remained for the rest of the race. I crossed the finish line when the race clock was showing 2:59 and some seconds. Our group had started 5 minutes later and so I’m assuming that my official time will also show a 2:54+ time for me.

And I arrived just in time to see them taking down the banners and packing up the supplies. There were a few cookies and some apples left, but not a whole lot to choose from. I grabbed some cookies and a cup of coffee and made my way back to the car. Race over.

Pretty soon

Race day is here. I have my packet and my timing chip; I have a new trophy t-shirt, now I need some enthusiasm. Maybe the race itself will generate some. Seeing some of the folks from Sierra Race Walkers might help. And there is a chance that some racers from Roseville will be present. After that, I’m on my own.

I suppose I should look and see what’s in the packet. I don’t even remember when the race starts? That would be an important thing to find out. OK, it’s 9:05 for my start. And I had to go on-line to find that out. So I need to be there about 8, leaving here at 7:30. The packet itself was pretty skimpy; a few coupons and an ad or two. Even the bib number is small? I guess that’s another way to save money. On a more positive note; the shirt looks good.

I wonder if they, CRC, have ever thought about putting on a marathon event? There has to be enough room to do that, if you include Upper Bidwell Park in the scheme. And include downtown as well. I think it would be a great event and could draw lots of people to the area.

Very close

OK, I’m back and resting from my workout this morning. I think it went well; doing a total of 8.29 miles in 1:53. That works out to be a 13.63 minute/mile average. I know it’s very close to race day and so I couldn’t really go all out or try for any longer distances than that. In fact I may have been stretching it by going as far as I did so close to race day. I did the first 5 ½ miles with an average of 13.38 minute miles and then slowed it down for the return to the starting point.

Tomorrow is a day of rest and recuperation. And on Saturday morning I will have to depend on my barely adequate training and some muscle memory to get me close to my goal of 2:50 for the ½ marathon.

Or…I could just go out on Saturday morning and have a good time in the sunshine and in good company.

Let’s see now, it’s time for a weigh-in. 205 pounds. Bad. But I did walk off a few calories, 1144 to be exact!

Interesting stuff

Lots of interesting facts about walking here...

"A pound of fat equals 3500 calories. To lose 1 pound a week you will need to expend 3500 more calories than you eat that week, whether through increased activity or decreased eating or both. Losing 1-2 pounds of fat a week is a sensible goal, and so you will want to use the combination of increased activity and eating less that will total 3500 calories for 7 days."

Since I am usually walking at a speed of 4.5 mph. I burn 138 calories per mile. Yesterday's 7.38 walk burned off 1,018 calories. Or a big lunch...

Is that fog?

It looks like fog outside? Well, I have to get out and get walking this morning, no matter what the weather looks like. I’m hoping for a 10 mile day and at a comfortable pace. Distance is the target and not performance. I did 7.38 miles yesterday and those were easy enough. I kept my pace right around 13.5 minutes per mile; a good fitness level.

The forecast for race day is great. Sunshine and a high in the 60’s. But…the truth is I was hoping it was going to rain. Since I’m not at the level of training I would like to be at, I was hoping for a good excuse for a slow day. Any excuse will do, but rain would be perfect; not my fault! So now it looks like I will have to grin and bear it. After all, I know I won’t be last.

The blahs

Once again I am getting ready for the Bidwell ½ marathon; that's coming up this next weekend. Will I be ready? Maybe not physically, but I’m hoping that the mental preparation will carry me through the tough spots. The course is very familiar and I know pretty much just how long it takes to go from point A to point B and then to C, etc, etc.

And I have been training; sort of. I have the wintertime blahs and I really need an attitude transplant. The other day I did a 5 mile plus walk and at a good speed, but I started out with the usual mental complaints and it wasn’t until I had gone about 2 miles before I began to feel a little more positive about what I was training for. Even then, although I had done a 37 minute 5K just the week before, I could only manage a 38.5 minute 5K time.

I really need to relax and not stress about my performance. It’s all about my health, my level of fitness, and not whether I can beat someone to the finish line. All I have to do is remember that there are thousands of people in the Chico area that didn’t even think about walking 13.1 miles on Saturday…and if they had, they wouldn’t.

Next?

A great morning! I always feel this way after doing better than expected in an event. Yes, I have done faster 5K races, but since I wasn’t expecting to beat last years time, it was sweet to have done just that. Especially after such slow practice times leading up to the race. Now I have to get ready for the Bidwell Classic in less than two weeks. Just doing a couple of ten milers during this time should get me back in shape for the longer distance. But after Bidwell? What will my goal be? I better start looking for some more races for spring... and summer.

Race Day

I’m back from a successful morning in Durham. After an ‘unexpected’ start; (the gun went off about 3 minutes early.) I quickly got out into the traffic and began looking for some clear space to maneuver. And after about 2 minutes the road cleared up and I could see my first competitor ahead of me, an older gentleman racewalking at a good pace. But not as good as mine. In fact I checked the pace and I was at 5.3 mph, a bit too fast. And after passing him, I decided to slow it down to right around 5 mph. (12 minute miles) As I approached the 1 mile marker, a woman passed me and asked if I knew what the split time was for the mile? I did; it was 12.1. She then accelerated away.

That was when I decided that she was going to be my ‘rabbit’ and I took off after her. Pretty soon I was about 10 feet behind her and she knew it. We kept that distance for the next mile and sure enough, another 12.1 split time for us at 2 miles. I tried to make a run on her a couple of times, but when she saw my shadow or heard my steps, she was off. I think we finally settled into about a 20 foot spread for the rest of the race, though I did try once more, at the very end, to close the gap, but without success.

I went across at 37.20 for the 5K. That’s an average of 12 minute miles for 3.1 miles. And if I were to get technical…I did have about 3 seconds from the time the gun went off until I crossed the starting line. Let’s call it 37.17 and that would make it 11.990322 minute miles. Woo Hoo!

Short story…once again I won male overall and first in my age group. (60-70) Last year I did it in 37.49. So I’m really happy about today. And I talked to the woman that beat me; thanking her very much for the great competition. I couldn’t have done it without her. We high-fived each other and made a date to do it again next year.

It's Good For You

It's OK, no one has to know you're looking at the AARP website. Lot's of good walking advise here.

Race Time Coming

I’ve just come back from a good walk in the park, doing a 5K walk in 38:44. Last year, I did the Durham Almond Blossom 5K in a time of 37:49. So it looks like I’m on track to do as well as last year, despite a woeful lack of training time. (It’s only woeful because I have neglected it…)

This morning’s walk started out in the usual manner, with my wondering; why I was doing this? This is painful! It’s been about 3 weeks since I last raced and it showed in my heavy breathing for the first half mile. Then the mood altering began as I went further and faster. By the time I had finished doing a total of 5.29 miles (in 69 minutes…13.04 minute/miles) I was feeling pretty positive about the workout. Now I have to see how much I weigh. This is the scary part! Oops…207.8. Shame on me.

Now I have a goal. Lose the 10 pounds I gained since the Portland marathon in October of last year. With 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, I have lots of additional reasons to lose the weight and stay fit. I really would like to see them all grow up and to be present at the important events in their lives.

Yes!

Vindication! The final final final results are now in and I was correct in thinking that I had completed the ½ marathon in less than 3 hours. I was seriously bummed when the first “official results” came out and they had me at 3:05.

38598 Dunn 66 M 2:54:45 3:21:26 64 93.1%
Bib#..............Age.. Time..... Gun Time.... Age graded

Oddly enough, if you were to look at the finish line photos, you would see me staring at my GPS unit in almost every frame they shot of me. I was intent!No, it wasn’t the fastest time I ever had but it was the time that I thought I had; that’s important. After a couple of years of this kind of racing you get a feel for how fast you are and you can almost forget the watches and other timers. Almost.

Now I can get on with my "walking" life. I have a race in Durham in two weeks (5K) and another in March; the Bidwell Classic 1/2 marathon.

Facts

Some interesting facts from the P.F. Chang people (Rock n' Roll 1/2 Marathon - Phoenix)
36,617 Combined Participants*
10,224 Marathon Registrants
8,127 Marathon Finishers
24,005 1/2 Marathon Registrants
20,245 1/2 Marathon Finishers

I find the last two bits of data to be "interesting". Where did the extra 240 people come from? I was also surprised to see that 2,000 people dropped out of the marathon, though I'm sure a number of them were no-shows.

The fruits of my labor...
A clear and very cold day in Tempe...but I'm feeling good.

Still Wondering

The ½ marathon results are still in question. A race results webpage has pulled their version of the results for the Rock n’ Roll ½ and that was the one that had my original 13.02 pace for the 10K. And 13.02 matched with my GPS unit and the clock, as I had a 12:47 first mile. It’s all very frustrating… and I need to get over it.

What?

Darn! Now I'm baffled...The marathon results are in, though incomplete, and they show me with a total time of 3:05. Sorry, I don't believe it. My GPS unit showed 2:54 and that's about what I could have expected. At 10K I was at on a 13.02 pace and never dropped below 4.5 mph the rest of the way. Do the math.

Wonderful!

Here's the message I see when trying to search for my results...

"Attention Half Marathon Participants: Due to some unprecedented power surges in the area of the half marathon finish line, a number of the finish times in the half marathon may have been affected, the individuals involved have an asterisk (*) after their name.
A review of the finish line video is currently being conducted and as soon as it is completed, the official times will be posted. We are very sorry for the inconvenience."

I was able to do some specific searching by age and came within a few minutes of my estimated time but the records beyond that were gone... even a search by my bib number comes up empty.

Race Day...Over!

Another race day is history. And I'm the proud owner of a new t-shirt and a medal. Can't ask for more than that...well, I suppose I could ask for more but won't.

In case you hadn't heard, Sunday morning was cold and at 7:30 I was out and among the thousands of racers all trying to warm up under the clear Phoenix skies. (27 degrees) I was wearing shorts and two shirts and that seemed to be fairly normal, though in the minority. I did a lot of walking about and hopping in place, anything at all to keep the blood flowing. Despite that, my legs were soon numb and that helped. The real problem lay in the fact that we all had an hour to wait before the scheduled start of the 1/2 marathon. I was ready right now!

(I was unprepared for the numbers of people that were doing this race; there were 37,000 total for the marathon and the half marathon. That's a lot!)

The race started late and that meant an additional 10 minutes or more of hopping about in the now confining space of the "corrals" where we had to wait. They use a wave start with corrals moving forward at about 1 minute intervals to cross the starting mat. I was in corral 18, which meant I had about a 20 minute shuffle before I could see the starting line. And then we were off...

I got off to a fast start, probably too fast; the first mile was completed in 12:43. I kept trying to slow down a little but the crowd was moving at about the same pace or faster, so it was easy to be led into a faster pace.

The race course was soon an obstacle course as well, as people began shedding their warmup clothes and these accumulated in piles on the road. Hats, shirts and gloves...thousands of them! Interesting; the most common piece of clothing to be found on the street were the "bunnysuit" pants used in cleanrooms. These probably came from the many employees of Motorola and Intel; they both have large cleanroom facilities in this part of Arizona.

Except for the large numbers and the fact that most were first timers, the race was normal enough. But the first timers made navigation tricky at the water stations because of their habit of slowing down as they approached and then strolling through the water station, cup in hand and chatting. I had to weave in and out between them to grab my water and go. Another unfortunate habit was that they would drop their cups in the center of the road as well as off to the side. Pretty soon the road was a sea of paper cups that the cleanup crews couldn't rach because of the numbers of racers.

Since I had no injuries, I was certain of finishing...but what was my time going to be? I kept trying to slow down a little so that I would have plenty left at the end and I suppose that was a good decision, though I wish I had been a little bit faster. At the 12 mile marker I began to speed it up again and then at about 12.75 I started sprinting for the finish...just because it's so much fun! I ran across the finish line at what I thought was 2:54. 9 minutes short of my intended goal of 2:45. Pacing was my problem and there were very few racewalkers around me to help with that, so I'm sure my pace was erratic.

Before this race, I thought the Portland marathon was big...with 12-13,000 contestants...but this was on a far different scale! It was great experience...but I'm looking for a smaller race for this time next year. The Sedona 1/2?

Well, I guess I had better check out the website for my official time for Sunday...

Flying

No where to go but up now... and then back down to Phoenix.

I went in to the park yesterday for a quick and short practice. 2 miles in 24:56.

I'm still hoping for a "surge" on Sunday when I'm surrounded by thousands of others doing the Rock n' Roll 1/2 Marathon. 2:45 would be a nice time for the distance and it's always doable if the competition is there. In most 1/2 marathons, the race walkers are so spread out; there is rarely anyone to compete with.

The best part? I'm doing it somewhere other than Bidwell Park. I'm so tired of walking around that park!

Goals

I did a long walk this morning in preparation for Sunday’s ½ marathon event in Phoenix. I got in an 11.54 distance in a time of 2:36. That gives me an average of 13.52 minute/miles. What was best about this time was the fact that I simply walked the last 2 miles. My goal for this race is to do it in less than 3 hours and as long as I don’t end up injured, that should be easy.

I know it’s not the goal I stated earlier; a 2:45 time. It’s actually about 10 minutes off my normal time for the half, but since the holidays have taken a toll on the time available for my practices and I have gained more weight than I like, I really can’t expect much better. Shame on me!

But I have all spring and summer to make up for this lapse. Another ½ marathon is coming up in early March and I anticipate being in better shape for that one.

Gray

Very foggy outside! And I need to get in to the park for a practice walk. I guess I can brave it. But I’m not looking forward to the walk itself; drippy trees and damp air don’t make for a pleasant walk.

(Later) My fears of an unpleasant walk in the fog were unfounded. Once I got across the river, the skies lightened and I saw a faint orange disc in the sky. It could only get better and it did. I went out fairly fast but then settled into a pleasant and moderate pace. I did a quick enough, in and out of 5.16 miles in 68 minutes.

As I walked, I tried to plan for the season ahead. I’m trying to work around a disappointment as I found out this morning that Portland doesn’t have a ½ marathon to go along with the full marathon. I was hoping to make that trip for the race this fall and then extend it for a visit to Vashon Island. Perhaps there is a Vashon ½ marathon? If there isn’t; there should be!

Nope. The only ½ marathon I found was the Seattle, which I really want to do sometime. But, the date for that one, November 25th, is right in the middle of a holiday weekend and that would make flying problematic. Should I do it this year or next? Decisions!

Back home; the fog returns. Dreary.

Not Bad

I’m just back from a satisfying practice session in the park. My goal was to get in a 2 hour practice and I did that. Doing 8.67 miles in 1:54:30 and then strolling for another 5.30 minutes before calling it quits for the day. That’s a 13.20 minute/mile average and that isn’t bad for practice.

And I have received my final instruction notice from the Rock n’ Roll folks in Phoenix. My race number is 38598 and I’m in Corral #18, based on my forecast of a 2:45 finish time for the race. Let’s see…13.20 x 13.1 = 2.9 hours, a little slower than my forecast. OK, so I will stay towards the back of the Corral.

Now for the future; I have to make plans for some more races this year after the ½ marathon in Phoenix. There will be a ½ marathon in March, the Bidwell Classic, and I will do that one for sure. The Almond Blossom 5K is in Durham, but I forget if that’s before or after the Bidwell Classic…oh well, I’m sure I will find out in time to get signed up. I want to do the Portland ½ marathon this year (The end of September) and that would effectively end the long races for the year. But there’s a long time span between Bidwell and Portland and I need to find some interesting races to fill those months.