Measuring Up

We’re back from a successful trip to Chico. I was able to get in a good, though slow, walk. And I was able to measure most of the park for future reference. And one of the things that I discovered was that while I have been counting one trip around the park as 6.25 miles; the wheel calculated that distance to be 6.38 miles. A small thing I suppose, but I will take every little bit of advantage I can. Some of my other estimates were off in the other direction so I suppose I may not have gained much.

My best calc’s for the day tell me that I went 8 miles altogether and I did it at a slow 15 minute/mile pace because I had to stop every once in awhile and write down the distances and do the math.

BP 104/52 Pulse 69 and weight is 196.8

Out and About

Darn...I missed a day of training yesterday when my hamstring muscles acted up. Yes, it's my fault as I'm not very good at going through the warm-up routines. I'm far too impatient and always want to get out and get going. And so it was this morning. My legs felt fine so I got out of the car and started out at a fairly fast pace. The first mile is always a pain as my body goes from an inactive state to a 12 minute/mile pace. Ouch!

Of course I persist and this morning I did one hour of training. I am not sure how far I went. Maybe 4.9 miles? For now I will call it 4.8 and that means I was training at a 12.5 minute/mile pace. Someday I will get around to measuring how far it actually was.

Style

Saturday has arrived I’m prepared for a longer than normal walk. I hope to get in close to 16+ miles today. Part of the walking time will be spent in measuring distances in the park, as I want to have an idea of how far I’m walking without using my GPS unit and wondering how accurate it is. Then I will finish up by trying out some of the distances at a racewalking speed.

I should point out that I’m not a very good racewalker. My style is definitely my own and I would certainly be disqualified within a few miles if I tried to race in a judged race. I even spent a weekend with Dave McGovern while trying to learn the basics of racewalking, some years ago. And while it was fun and informational, I can only hope that he has destroyed the video tapes of my walking style.  

5+

Short but sweet; that was the story today as I did a 5+ mile walk in 66 minutes, giving me a 12.57 minute/mile average.

Now I my plan is to use Saturday (tomorrow) as a measuring day. I will take the measuring wheel and try to get an accurate measurement for all of the possible routes around the park. I’m tired of trying to calculate this stuff in my head and I can’t trust the GPS unit because of the trees that block a view of the satellites.

Speaking of trees…the park sycamores are already shedding their leaves. Can fall be just around the corner or is this some symptom of heat damage?

BP 112/56 Pulse 57 and weight 199.6. (Yes, I had a bowl of ice cream last night…but I deserved it; really!)

10 miles

A good walk. It wasn't as fast as I wanted it to be, but upon checking my stats...I was faster than I was a week ago when doing the same distance. I started fast and then my GPS unit went haywire, telling me that I was only going 4.1 mph when I knew from experience that I was doing at least 4.7. The problems continued all of the way around so I just used experience and the clock function to tell me how fast I was going. The first landmark was reached in 21 minutes versus a normal 23. The time around the park was 81 minutes and that's a 12.96 minute/mile.
I continued on and went for a total of 10 miles at a 13.1 minute/mile average. I was hoping to have stayed in the 12 minute range...maybe next time.

BP 108/53 Pulse 80 (I was moving some boxes of books) and weight is 197.4

Unexpected

I just returned from a different kind of walk. I had taken the VW in to the dealer this morning and when he told me it might be 3 hours or more before they would finish with it, I decided to walk until they called me. So I set off and crossed through downtown Chico on my way to the park. I knew I wasn’t going to set any speed records today so I waited patiently at the signals and didn’t stress myself over the delays.

Once I reached the park I set a nice and easy pace, 4.1 mph, a 14.48 minute/mile average…including the stops for traffic. And I kept it up for 3 hours and 27 minutes.

BP 128/58 Pulse 53 and weight 196.6

My plan for the day hadn’t included a half marathon+ distance…but if it helps with the training, I’m all for it!

Crop Walk

It’s that time of year again and once more I will be walking in the local Crop Walk. But I’m trying something different this year; I’m soliciting for your help on-line. If you can give something; any amount will help…hunger is a problem that just won’t go away unless we work at it. And those of us with plenty have good reason to share…

Thanks!  Click here to go to my donation page.

Racing

I went into town early, hoping to get in a fast 5 mile walk. I had enough aches and pains from yesterday’s 15 mile jaunt that I needed something short to warm me up and remove the pains.

I arrived about 6:20 and there was no one else around. Bidwell is pretty quiet early on Sunday mornings. So off I went…and immediately began to argue with myself. 3 miles would be enough, I said. I replied that I had promised myself 5 miles and that was that! The bickering continued until I stepped in and said, “Enough! You’re doing 4 miles.” And so I did. I did quite well at…12.02 minutes per mile for a 48.08 minute overall time. That’s better than I did at the Fleet Feet Senior 4 Mile event.

And afterwards, the minor aches pains were all gone. Feeling good!

Long Walk Day

I have just returned from a long walk in the park, 15 miles worth. And it was most interesting; sometimes frustrating but always interesting. I started later than I should have, starting at 6:30 and then I was up to 4.8 mph in no time. Wrong! This was supposed to be my long and slow weekend walk and I quickly cooled it down to 4.4 mph. And to my surprise, I didn’t even break a sweat until I had gone about 2 miles.

I made it around the first time in 86 minutes, a very manageable 13.76 minutes per mile. A drink of water and I set out for the next lap. And on my way I spoke to Lin Jensen, the faster Chico racewalker. He asked if I were doing any races soon and I told him I was doing Portland and Westwood/Susanville in October. Of course I asked him what his plans were and he told me that he was too busy for any races this year; being wrapped up with his duties as a Buddhist prison chaplain at High Desert. Whoa! What a surprise…

The second time around was a little more problematic; more people and more congestion on the path. The bicycles were especially bad this morning; never giving any warning and cutting as close as possible. Most annoying! And then there were the dog walkers with 3 or more dogs in each hand. Try passing a group of dog walkers who have suddenly stopped to chat!

The park is a wonderful place and this morning it was being used by lots of people with lots of different interests…which made it quite difficult to navigate. One lady, a birdwatcher, suddenly decided to stop and look up into a tree. All well and good except for the fact that I was directly behind her.

The final score; 210 minutes divided by 15 miles = 14 minute miles. OK. The idea was to build up some mileage and not see how fast I could do it. I was successful. Tomorrow I will do a quick 4 or 5 miler and then take Monday off.

BP 107/54 Pulse 74 Weight 197

And afterwards, I decided to see if I could find Victory Tattoo and find out how much it would cost for the marathon tattoos I want. I didn’t find the place but I did find another coffee shop, Coco Caffe. I’m not bothering with that one again. I was obviously in the wrong age group and was royally snubbed. Age discrimination! As I left the shopping center I glanced over to the right and there was Victory Tattoo; I just hadn’t gone far enough. Oh well, next time.

Sleeping in

A good morning…after a late start, I got onto the trail about 6:38 and began my trips around the park. I had forgotten to bring any kind of timing device with me so I was stuck with using the clock in the car. That and my knowledge of how far it was from here to there; sort of. And I had new socks on; always a dangerous proposition when going for more than 5 or 6 miles.

The first time around was completed in a leisurely 83 minutes (13.28 minute/miles) and then I went for an additional 4 miles. All in all; 10.25 miles approximately and in 137 minutes exactly. (13.36 minute/miles) The socks worked fine and I had a nice workout.

Now is the time to begin a countdown to race day. 43 days? So I need to get in some distance walks and soon.

Vitals: BP 108/53 and pulse of 60. Good! Weight: 197 Also good!

Race is on

A little bit of competition always helps...Jill joined me for a quick walk around the park today and when we were in sight of the finish, we couldn't help but race. I don't know if I was being coddled or not, but we did end up neck and neck at the end. And with a good time of 81 minutes. According to Jill's GPS unit, we were doing 12:15 minutes/miles. GPS units? Bah! Humbug. I need to map this park with accurate readings for all possible routes and then I can just use a watch and go where I want.

Another day in the park

Not bad. I was able to get in a 7.25 mile walk and was able to keep up a good pace...no straining. I did it in 1 hour and 35 minutes which translates to a 13.1 minute mile average.

That pace would be a good one to maintain for the full marathon, but can I? I'm doing it without my partner so I will need to find a way to become motivated for the full time I'm on the course. If the Chico racewalker, Lin Jensen, is doing the race, I will try and stay close behind him. I don't want him to know I'm there...that would only make him walk faster! And if he doesn't do the Portland this year, I will have to content myself with picking off walkers, one at a time.

Good news. I met with my new doctor and he tells me that the shoulder pain I am experiencing is probably some calcification in the joint which impinges upon the nerve. The odd feeling in my arm that I assumed to be a circulation problems is simply the nerve reacting.

Vitals...BP 125/66 Pulse 58 and weight 195.7

Surprise!

Short and fast was the order of the day. I was in the park right at 6 AM; by the way, it’s almost dark at that hour. Since I had an appointment back in Orland at 8:30, I had to be quick. And I did a 5.25 round trip in 65 minutes, giving me a 12:38 minute/mile average.

But an odd thing happened in the park; just after I had turned at Manzanita and was coming back, a race walker appeared! He was heading towards me at a very fast pace; probably under 10 minute miles. He grinned and shouted, “Isn’t this fun?” Well, of course it is…especially if you are able to walk as fast as he could. But, if I were judging, I might have given him one warning for “Bent Knee”.

After waving and agreeing, I continued on towards the car. And after about 15 minutes, I saw him again; coming towards me, still going very fast and grinning. This time he shouted, “This is really great!” Of course I agreed. And judging? He might have had “Loss of Contact” and should have been given another warning.

It’s quite uplifting to see another race walker, hard at work and doing it well. I only know of 3 others in this area and this guy looked to be the youngest of us all. He couldn’t have been over 45.

Weight 197.4

Success

Now that’s more like it! Since I wanted to make Saturday my long walk day, I started out with the intention of doing at least 10 miles and I ended up doing 10.5 miles, plus or minus; or up the path to Manzanita and back again, twice. It’s not the most accurate but it will do for now. And I did the first 5.25 miles in 1 hour and 5 minutes, a good 12.38 minute/mile average. Then it was time for a 30 second break, long enough to swallow some water and then I returned to the task. This time I ended up getting to my first milestone almost a minute faster than the previous time. I was moving too fast! I slowed it down and came back to the car with a time of 1 hour and 8 minutes. That adds up to a 12.66 mile minute/average and I was really happy about that number. Especially since I was able to do it without any signs of fatigue or any pain. During a marathon, I wouldn’t expect to walk at that pace; a more realistic number will be 13.25 minute/miles. That would give me a 5 hour and 50 minute time, plus or minus.

And I do love the park early on a Saturday morning. Everyone you see is there because they are dedicated to fitness. Lots of smiles and a few grimaces. But the atmosphere is all about the purpose of our meeting there at a time of morning when most are still in bed.

There is a runner I have mentioned before; always wears a man’s long-sleeve dress shirt and an odd hat. I see her run by and know that the next time I see her she will be on her bicycle. I’m pretty sure she is training for triathlons…and wouldn’t be surprised to spot her swimming up Chico Creek.

And the Chico Running Club meets near Manzanita for their Saturday morning run. I tried to remain inconspicuous as I passed by, as I haven’t paid my dues for this year!

Vital signs…weight is 194 BP is 117/63 Pulse 64

And looking in the mirror, I see that I’m losing muscle mass. That is to be expected as you age, but at the same time I’m developing a runners body once more. The muscles have a different purpose now. I don’t have a “six-pack”, a “4-pack” is a better description

Oh! The Pain!

Yes, it was painful as I had to work through both shin and gluteus muscle pains this morning. But the pain didn’t last long as I did a fast 5.25 miles. I did it in 64 minutes and that’s a 12:19 minute mile average. The pain was gone after the end of the first mile.

My first thought this morning was to avoid the training day and give my body a rest after experiencing some pain yesterday. I’m glad I didn’t listen to that slacker!

Weight 196.2 BP 115/64 Pulse 69

A Pain!

Today was a day for some endurance training; longer distance and slower speeds. The final results were; not accurate but close, 1:59 minutes and 8.83 miles. That gives me statistics like this; 13.48 minutes per mile, or 4.45 miles per hour.

I was keeping a faster pace (4.5 mph) until about 7.5 miles and then I started getting a pain in the gluteus muscles and that slowed me down some. So it seems that I need to work on my endurance training even more than usual.

Sights in the park: I was passed by a leaf brushing, dirt and diesel spewing sweeper about 7:30. Isn’t there a better time to do that? I know, I know…if it wasn’t me that was being offended, then it would be someone else. And the swimming hole at One-Mile was drained while sweepers cleaned that in preparation for the weekend crowds. Also saw a few trees that had lost limbs.

I forgot to mention that the last time I walked through the pool area on a Monday morning, the scene was disgusting! Litter was everywhere. The same kind of trash could be seen at the swimming hole near Manzanita.

Vitals…BP 11/63 Pulse 61 and weight is 195.2

Once Again

I’m back at it…I lost a few training days because of baby-sitting chores but it doesn’t seem to have hurt my performance at all. I decided to go for speed this morning and did the 6.25 miles around Bidwell Park in 79 minutes. That’s 12.64 minute/miles (4.75 mph) and certainly good for the heart.

Vital signs: BP=122/62 Pulse=62 and weight is 195. All good and within a healthy range. I’m hoping to be at 190 pounds for the Portland Marathon. I think it’s do-able.

Art or?

A good one! No, I didn't do the practice session I started out to do. I had plans for an 8 miler and ended up doing the usual 6.25. But I did it fast! Completing the circuit in 78 minutes and that is 12.48 minute/miles.

I started out slow and I immediately began my mental whining..."It's too hot. I'm too slow. My pace is off." Finally I tired of listening to myself and began to get serious about walking a fast pace. Mph went from 4.5 to 4.8 and I was closing in on 4.9 when I decided that was enough.

Maybe I can do a 14 miler on Saturday, early. There are just a little over 2 months left before the final two marathons of the year and I need to be in good shape for them.

And speaking of marathons...Jill and I are thinking about collecting some serious mementos of our marathons. Tattoos. Here's the image I came up with (on the left). It's from the Portland Marathon icon, though I have altered it a little bit. And these images (one for each marathon) would fit on the calf. I think I have room for at least a dozen! I only qualify for 4 right now but I should need 2 more after October 8th.

Feelings

I’m back from the park and feeling fine! Despite the early hour, the high temperatures and the lack of good caffeine stimulation, I was able to do 6.25 miles at a 4.8 mph average. And I could have gone further and faster…but I had other obligations back in Orland.

There are days when the miles just fly by and you know you can walk at that pace forever…and that was just how it was this morning, despite wearing a cotton singlet that must have weighed 20 pounds before I was through! I need to make sure I wear the synthetics; they are much more comfortable. I wonder if Sierra Racewalkers are still selling them?

And how fast could a race walker walk, if a race walker could walk fast…? Check out this link http://www.usatf.com/statistics/records/view.asp?division=american&location=road&age=open&sport=RW

Vital signs…Weight: 198 BP 115/59 Pulse 68

Odd

What a strange morning. The sky is overcast and ominous looking while the humidity grows stronger. We even had some rain here in Orland, yet the temperature is 84°.

It was even stranger in the park. There, all sounds seemed muted by the moist air; much as it is on a foggy night. I decided to go for one hour of practice and to keep it slow and steady. That was easy to do because I couldn’t seem to get enough air for a real effort. The pace was 4.4 mph, or close to 13.75 minute/miles.

As I was walking, I was thinking and wondering if anyone had ever formed a Monte Python Racewalking club? It seems so appropriate…perhaps I should. If not, I could always have a t-shirt made that would have that name on it, in bright and bold letters, and that would serve the same purpose.

Bikila!

More marathon quotes; “If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience another life, run a marathon.” Emil Zatopek.

And I remember Abebe Bikila, the runner from Ethiopia winning the 1960 Olympic marathon (barefooted). I watched it on a small black and white TV set and was awed by what I saw. This was what I believed the Olympics were supposed to be all about; individuals competing against themselves…at the time I was naïve, I didn’t know that the Olympics are really nationalistic programs to sell a lot of stuff!

Breathing

Want to lose 4 pounds in a hurry? Try doing a fast 6.25 mile walk around Bidwell Park on a summer morning. Those were my results this morning; weighing back in at 194 pounds after a pleasant walk.

It was fairly cool at 6 this morning; maybe 75°. There was no problem finding a parking place at that hour. Later, around 8, parking is at a premium; though I have no idea as to why anyone would want to start their exercise routine so late in the day.

I kept to a medium fast pace, not looking for trouble and pretty soon the miles were clicking by without effort. I had one irritating moment when I saw a huge dust cloud and found a park employee, gas-powered leaf blower in hand, standing by her truck. What are these people thinking? Air breathing animals (people) are using the park! Why would you contaminate that air? Of course the whole idea of using a gas-powered machine to redistribute dirt, dust and debris doesn’t make much sense anyway. And since I hadn’t brought any timing devices, I had to guess at the overall time. 6.25 miles in 82 minutes, more or less.

Tomorrow will be a 10 miler so I will have to start early once again. It’s really the perfect time; I can leave my glasses in the car because the sun isn’t in my eyes at that hour and it’s quiet in the park, no crowds.

The Plan

I did the fast and early training plan this morning; getting in 8 miles at an average speed of 4.9 mph. At that point I decided that there was no reason to set any records and slowed down for my return to the car. That turned out to be a total of 9.75 miles in exactly 2 hours; an average 12.31 minute/miles. (4.8 mph)

The humidity was more of the factor than the heat and I was soaked through and through. But the good news was that I felt fine and could have gone further. My feet were no longer an issue and energy levels seemed good. And my hands weren’t swollen at all, so salt intake was at normal levels.

Let’s see what the statistics show… Weight: 195.4! BP: 119/68 Pulse: 71. All good!

Plans Made

OK, a good training session, despite the early heat. I was a little late getting out of the house and that didn’t help. It was almost 7 when I began my circular route of the park. I was feeling good though and I was soon into my routine pace with no strain or pain. I made the 6.25 miles in 81 minutes, or just less than 13 minute miles. (12.96) I could have gone for more without a problem, but with a heavy duty heat forecast, I took the easy way out and said it would be “safer” if I were to stop now.

Now I have to visit the Portland Marathon website and enter this year’s event. Doing that makes it easier to stay motivated as I will have a very valid reason to train; I don’t want to waste my money! This year it’s $85 and if you divide that by 26.2 miles, it’s still pretty cheap entertainment. And at the end of the day, I will have accomplished what less than 1% of the population has ever done; I will have completed another marathon race. No, I didn’t win the big prize, but I will have accomplished what I set out to do and nothing is better than that!

(Later) All set. I have my registration and we have a hotel room. And there are 75 days left to train. Plenty of time, even for a first timer. And you don’t have to be really fast to complete a marathon in a less than embarrassing time. Last year I had 13:35 minute/mile pace and there were close to a thousand people that were slower than that. 15 minute miles are considered a brisk walk; some finishers were up into the 23 minute mile pace. I have set my personal goal to be 10 minutes faster than last year…which means a 13:10 average.

Ah! That's better...

I’m back at home, and rested, after a fairly good practice walk. I got in 8 miles in 102 minutes and according to the calculator that is…12.75 minute/miles. I had to work for them though. And although my left heel was taped and padded, I really didn’t have the energy I thought I should. I have to do something about that. Vitamins?

Now if I could only do that for 26 miles, I would have a marathon time of approximately, 5.5 hours. That’s 23 minutes faster than last years Portland time. Can I do it at this year’s Portland Marathon? Well, that is the goal.

And from the book, 26.2 Marathon Stories; “It’s like tacking PhD at the end of your name, getting married, having a baby. Your life will never again be quite the same, and regardless of what the future brings, you can look back and say, ‘I finished a marathon’”. (Hal Higdon – Marathon)

Slowly

The training begins once again. And once again my shoes are bothering me. What’s up with that? It’s the same shoes that I wore in Anchorage for the marathon and I had no problem with them.

It‘s my left foot and I did get a few rocks in my shoes last Friday, during our trail walk. I remember that I found a large hole in the heel of that left foot sock afterwards, and I had to throw that pair away. Apparently I must have damaged my heel slightly and so I need to get some padding for it before it gets worse. This morning, even with a bandage, I had blood on my sock afterwards.

OK, it was just a 6.25 mile walk and at a 12.8 minute/mile pace. But I felt like it was slow motion. I had no “oomph!” at all. I had no breathing problems and I wasn’t even sweating that much. And the shoe problems weren’t the reason for the slow time. Whatever it was, I need to work it out and get on with the training. The Portland and Susanville marathons are up next!

Have you ever thought about walking a marathon? Just a vague and fleeting thought? If so, then you need to read 26.2: Marathon Stories. I get charged up every time I pick up the book and read a little bit of it. This is a book that I will read and read…over and again. True, it’s about running and the author neglects the racewalkers altogether, while including wheelchair participants. But that’s OK; the book is more about the experience than it is on technique.

Only 39 years ago...

I need to mention the book that Jill gave me; 26.2: Marathon Stories, by Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson. It’s a great book, filled with facts and photos, plus many inspiring reasons to do a marathon. One of the facts that I found interesting…though disturbing, was that Kathrine Switzer (the author) had entered the Boston Marathon and then had been attacked (physically) by a fan of the race. The reason for the attack? She was a woman. (…and she had applied to race under her usual signature, K.V. Switzer.) A fellow runner charged the fan and sent him flying. The result of all of this commotion was the expulsion of Kathrine from the Amateur Athletic Union. Her crime was “running with men” and “running without a chaperone”. The disturbing fact was that this happened in 1967. By the way, she continued the race that day and finished with a very respectable 2:51.

Foolish Move

What was I thinking? With a little over 2 weeks of inactivity following the marathon, I decide to go for a very fast 3 miler. And I decide to do it in Susanville,at 4,500 feet and in the afternoon when the heat is up around 90. Ego, of course.

With Jill and her 3 marathon trainees, we started up the Bizz Johnson trail and I was determined to stay in front. And at the halfway point I had a solid 12 minute mile average. In the only wise move of the afternoon, I decided to slow down on the return trip.

OK, next week I have to get back into serious training and not this spur of the moment stuff, it can kill you!

insignificant thoughts

Cancelling AOL, a true story...

Time has blurred the details, but I think I had to withdraw my credit card to get them to stop!

Vacation

OK, it's been long enough...I need to plan some training. I took two weeks off after the Anchorage Marathon and I can already feel the effects of that. Oh sure, I deserved it. Everyone needs a break once in awhile, but now it's time to get serious about the Portland Marathon (1st of October) and the Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon, a week later.

Heard a funny description of Anchorage...and a well deserved one. "One of the nice things about Anchorage is the fact that it's close to Alaska."

Later

It’s been a couple of days now since the marathon and I can truthfully say that my feet and legs feel fine and I could easily do another one this weekend. Honest!

But, the next marathon is in October (Portland) followed a week later by the Westwood to Susanville marathon on the “Bizz” Johnson Trail. That means that I have to continue training and can’t slack off too much. One of the things I need to concentrate on are the longer walks. I need to do more 18 and 20 mile walks and less of the “once around the park” variety. Sure, they all help, but last weekend, I could feel my endurance running out around the 22 mile mark. I don’t like that feeling!

Photos

A view from the course...

Spotting our support group at Mile 17
on our way to Mile 18

The Midnight Sun

We’re back from a great trip. We arrived in Reno last night and then drove as far as Susanville; staying the night at Bill and Jill’s. We made the final leg of the trip this morning and we were at home with a collection of mail and a grateful cat, by noon.

What was Alaska like…well our trip began with a short flight (1 ½ hours) out of the Reno airport and that took us as far as Seattle. There we waited about 3 hours for our connecting flight; a flight that would take another 3 hours to complete. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed the flights! Was it because I was taking this trip for pleasure and not for business?

The flight was uneventful and the view was limited to the tops of the clouds until we descended below them, about 45 minutes out of Anchorage. The plane was following the Cook Inlet north, heading directly towards the Knik Arm and the airport. I must say that the view was awe inspiring! Snow capped mountains on each side of the plane, as far as you could see and the wave flecked gray waters of the inlet below us. The sun was a filtered golden light that cast a glow over everything it touched. And I saw no sign of civilization below me; no buildings and no boats.

Eventually the plane descended and we landed smoothly at Anchorage’s international airport, where…surprise! our luggage made the trip as well. It was about 8 PM and the sun was firmly in place in the western sky. And there it stayed for another 3 and a half hours. To be replaced by twilight till about 2 AM. Dawn? That occurred about 4:30 AM.

We had reservations at the Ramada Limited on Muldoon Road, over on the east side of town and close to the starting line for the marathon. Well, “Limited” was probably a good description for the place and the neighborhood. Not that much could be done about it as every hotel in town was full. So we decided to smile and just enjoy being in Alaska. After checking in, we all thought it best to get some sleep in preparation for the next days activities. Sleep? No matter how hard I tried, couldn’t get the curtains arranged keep the light out of the room. Luckily we were tired enough to fall asleep in just a short time.

We had breakfast at our hotel and then went to the race headquarters at the Sheraton…a much nicer hotel. We also found running shorts, socks and other gear to buy; most at pretty good prices. After getting our race packet with bib number and chip, it was time for an afternoon of walking around downtown Anchorage, seeing the sights.

The next day was race day and we were ready. There was a crowd of 2,500 or more in the parking lot of the high school where the starting line was located and so we hung back, knowing there was going to be a crunch as the crowd surged toward the line at the sound of the gun. I was poised to start my GPS timer as we crossed the mat that would activate my timing chip. We kept walking forward, looking for the mat. Finally we had passed the starting line and I still hadn’t seen the mat, so I pushed the button on my GPS unit and began to thread my way through the crowd, looking for a little clear space. The paved trail was only wide enough for 3 people abreast and so it took awhile to get some breathing room.  

This section of pavement lasted for about 7 miles and within the first mile we had our first moose sighting…and our last. It was also an uphill section, though a gradual one. Then we moved into the wilds of the Army base and the “Tank” trail. This was 8 miles of uphill rock and gravel. Some of it was quite steep, but it was finally wide enough to allow for easy passing. But by this time we had run out of the easy ones to pass. I suppose I should mention that we felt pretty good, despite the climb and we didn’t seem to be falling off of our pace. My GPS unit had us at a steady 4.5 mph despite the temptation to pause and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

At the end of 16 miles we went from crossing occasional streams on narrow wooden bridges to a wide expanse of asphalt and began a gradual downhill on our way back to the city. And we were pleasantly surprised to see Laurae and Bill waiting to cheer us on at mile 17. With just nine miles left, we felt confident of a good finish. The trail section had ruined my socks, but after stopping once to assess the damage, I couldn’t find any blisters or blood so I laced the shoes up tight and we pressed on.

We had about 3 miles of dreary sidewalk to navigate before we crossed over the road and headed into the city’s network of park trails. They were narrow but paved and, once again, the scenery was great! And once more we were passing people, giving us a boost for the final 6 miles. We needed it, as I noticed that our speed had dropped to somewhere between 4.3 and 4.4 mph.

The support had been great so far, plenty of water and orange slices available every two miles. But, at mile 21 we were offered popsicles, a first for us and most welcome! It was also at this point that I knew I was going to have a problem continuing at the pace we had been setting. My legs were definitely tiring and my feet had a dull ache in them. I also had a sharp pain where my left shoe seemed to be rubbing against my ankle. I kept looking, but there was no blood or blister so there was not much point in stopping to change socks.

We finally made it to mile 25, a trail running alongside a lake and in the distance I could see people leaving the trail and heading into the trees where the lake ended. That must be the finish line! Wrong…when I reached that point myself I found one more hill to climb. What cruelty! And it began to rain, which we really didn’t mind at all.

But, at the top of the hill were West High School and the finish line. The school track served as the finish corridor and Jill was just ahead of me, but there was still one person between us, so I decided to run the last 50 yards. I passed him with about 20 feet to spare and crossed the line right behind Jill.  I looked at my GPS unit as I crossed and noted that it read 6:01. That would give us a 13.8 minute/mile average, though I was more inclined to think we were under 6 hours because of the problems finding an actual “start” point.

After getting our medals and more water, it finally registered on us that it was raining pretty hard and perhaps we should get out of it and into a restaurant for some well deserved protein and lots of tasty cholesterol!

All in all, a good marathon. Hey, make that a great marathon! We got to see some wonderful scenery, meet people from all parts of the country and we saw a moose (1). What else could we need? Well, it would be a better timing system. Other marathons, smaller marathons make use of timing chips for start and finish plus mid-course timings. Anchorage should do the same.

One for the books - Anchorage

It's over and we're back...well,almost back. We have stopped for the night in Susanville and will be heading home as soon as we have had breakfast.

This was a good marathon and not a great one. We redeemed ourselves after an embarrassing performance in the Valley of the Giants marathon, but we didn't do as well as we did in last year's Portland marathon. How well did we do? I wish I knew! We had timing chips, but apparently they were only to be used at the finish.There were no activation mats to run across at the start and none at the midpoint. I'm going to do some more checking but I believe that they used "Gun Time" to start everyone and then used the chips only to determine your finish time, as the finish linewas the only place where you ran across an activation mat.

Short story; I'm going with 6 hours flat and Jill was 2 seconds under that. I had planned to start my GPS timer as soon as I had crossed the starting mat,but when I didn't see one,I hesitated for quite awhile before starting that timer. At the finish,my timer said 6:01.The marathon website says 6:05 but since we had hung back at the start, we know that can't be right.

After we get home and unpacked,I will post some of the photos here and let you know more about the 2006 Mayors Midnight Sun Marathon

On our way

It’s been a couple of days now since my last racewalking practice and so I should go to the park this morning and get in a short and fast walk, maybe 3 miles and try to hit under 12 minute/miles. Then it will be time to check and re-check my supplies before packing for the trip to Anchorage. Although, I’m sure I will be able to find anything I need or forgot once we are there. There is usually a large selection of running and walking gear present at the check-in site.

I checked the marathon website once more and found that our hotel is about ½ a mile away from the starting line. And I read this…“The marathon event is 26.2 miles in length beginning at Bartlett High School and traveling through the eastern foothills and across Anchorage to the West High School finish line. Scenic city bike trails, gravel, rocky, and paved roadways make up this gently rolling to extended downhill course.”  Let’s see now; trails, gravel and rocky? I’m not sure how much I will like that…but I do like the words, “downhill course”.

Last week I read that the city of Anchorage is experiencing some problems with their resident moose population. They like to eat the spring gardens. Two to three hundred moose call the Anchorage basin their home and there is a good chance we will see one or two as we make our way through some of the parks on the route of the marathon. Now that would be cool!

Dumb and Dumber

That was a workout! We did something over 19 miles on the Bizz Johnson Trail yesterday. And we did it in 4:44. Since we had conflicting data from Jill’s GPS unit, we had to estimate our distance and time. I am going to have to guess that we were doing 15 minute miles…which isn’t all that bad as we had decided to do a long and slow walk. So, “slow” it was.

The trail is certainly not up to its marathon condition; it still has lots of ruts in it and the off trail detours for the tunnels make for slow going. Hopefully those will be fixed before the marathon in October.

We made one serious error yesterday; we didn’t have a plan as to how far we were going to walk and we didn’t bring any water with us. Dumb! But the good news is the fact that we didn’t die…we were simply uncomfortable for the last 7 or 8 miles. That tells us that we’re in pretty good shape, physically. Mentally? That’s a different story.

Now the training plan goes into a relaxed mode; we know we can do the 26.2 miles. I’m thinking of doing one 3-mile race pace walk on Tuesday, just to tune-up before the marathon on Saturday.  

Faster yet

A great day in the park as I ended up moving much faster than planned.

After getting past the construction without too much hassle, I arrived at the park about 6:30. My plan was to see how I felt before deciding on a distance, but do a fast walk, whatever the distance. I started off by walking in the opposite direction, just for something different to do. And I noted that by the 2-mile mark, I was already up to 5.1 mph. OK, so “fast” was definitely in.

I kept it up and by the 4-mile mark I had a time of 47:34; that kind of time was giving me 11:83 minute/miles and was a little over one minute faster than I had been able to do in the 4-mile race a week ago.

With nothing better to do…why not go all out and see how fast I could do the 6.25 mile course? And I completed it in 1:17. That’s good!

Dog Days

Quite a day in the park…I went there for a short and fast walk (8 miles) and I did succeed, even better than I thought I might. I did it in 1 hour and 38 minutes, which translates into 12.25 minute/miles. That’s not far off my 4-mile race pace from a week ago – 12.095.

Just getting to the park took some effort this morning as the highway into town is still under construction and even at 6 AM I had to wait for the flagman to allow one-way traffic through Hamilton City. It’s going to be a long summer!

And for the second time this week, I was chased by a dog…the same dog, which makes me even madder. It’s a golden retriever and it’s not well trained. Neither is the owner. On Tuesday, it came after me, jumping and leaping at me. I avoided it three times – while the owner scolded, “Bad dog!” Of course it wasn’t on a leash. I should point out that I never felt that the dog was dangerous, just a bother! This morning, the same scenario ensued, except this time the dog grabbed my arm in its mouth. It didn’t break the skin. And it didn’t seem to bother the owner that much, - “I’m so sorry…Oh you bad dog!” and she kept right on walking, never looking back at me. Tomorrow? I’m kicking the dog! Hard.

I suppose I should have stopped and complained at length to the owner and explained that I didn’t appreciate dog slobber all over my arm, but I was walking with a purpose and didn’t want to stop. It’s the same tomorrow. No stopping to explain, just one good kick. But should I kick the dog, or the owner? Decisions, decisions!

Here are my thoughts before I left the house this morning… “I will be out in the park today, getting in a much longer walk this morning. I’m not going to predict how long…I always fall short for some reason whenever I do that. But I better eat a good breakfast before I go. And plenty of water…the forecast is for 95°.”

I am back from that walk and I can report that I did 14 miles this morning. The first 6.25 was done in 83 minutes. The second one was completed in 84 minutes and the last 1.5 miles was done in 20:10 minutes. I figured it out to be a 13.39 minute/mile average…and yes, it was getting warm! And I had to argue with myself to get in the last 1.5 miles.

Sure it’s a hassle at times, but all of this walking has made me fit once more. My feet are in good shape and my blood pressure seems to be right where it should be. I haven’t had a blister in quite awhile now. And my weight is right around 200. I do expect to get down to 195 fairly soon in this warm weather and that should be my summer weight.

This morning’s data… BP 103/58 Pulse 77 Weight 199.2

One More Time

OK…another good day in the park. My initial plan was to do ten miles, but I made one critical error. I took the wrong vehicle to the park. I had no Kleenex and no headband and I knew I couldn’t do the full ten miles without them. So off I went to see how fast I could do a 6.25 mile circuit. First, a 5K time of 37 minutes and then a 4 mile time of 49:30. During yesterday’s race, my 4 mile time was 48:37 and so I’m pretty sure that I could have done better yesterday if I had some competition.

The final time for the 6.25 miles this morning was 1:21:00

Mission Accomplished

A great morning!...and I’m feeling pretty good after completing the Fleet Feet 4 mile run/walk at Bidwell Park in Chico.

I made a few mistakes this morning and those got me off to a bad start. First, I left the house later than I should have and the road construction on Highway 32 put me a little bit behind. Then, when I got off of the freeway near the park, I made right when I should have gone left. Now I was on the wrong side of the park and the road I was on ended in a dead-end. OK, so I parked the car and headed into the park and then I realized that I was a long way from the starting line. Without a watch, I wasn’t sure of how much time I had left so I decided to jog my way up to the Cedar Grove picnic area, where the registration packets would be located.

Jogging? What was I thinking? As it turned out, I had plenty of time left when I arrived and I soon had my number in place and began pacing around the area to stay flexible after that short 1 mile jog. I was also worried that I might have used up some reserves of energy. Energy I would need around mile 3.5.

The race started on time and I was soon near the back of the pack, as all good walkers are, though I did hear one person (behind me) remark, “If he can walk faster than I can run…maybe I should give up.” That was good for my ego. And as I neared the trail section of the course, a volunteer told me that I was the first walker he had seen so far.

I had seen a couple of Jeff Galloway devotees ahead of me and I passed the first one within 2 miles. The second one was tougher! She stayed about 100 yards ahead and then when we got to the trail section, she pulled even further ahead…darn! But with perseverance I was able to get close to her around the 3 mile mark. She was about 100 feet away, then 50 and then…she saw me closing in on her and took off. I was never able to get that close again and she finished about 100 yards ahead of me. The appearance of a fast walker will always motivate a slow runner!

I was pretty sure that I was on target for a good overall time in this event and when I finally saw the finish line I could just make out the first number on the clock, a “4”. That was good…I was still in the hunt for a sub-12 minute mile average. But then I saw that the number after the 4 was an “8” and counting up…oh no! I poured it on. Feet, don’t fail me now! And I crossed the line at 48:37. And I was the only racewalker. Would I have done better if I had some competition? I'm sure of it.

All in all, a good experience and it added to my endurance. And I ended up with a medal for being second in my age group; 65-69 years old.

(I also spoke to the runner that walked with me in Durham. He has recovered from his injuries and is back to running. He wasn’t in this morning’s race as he had already done 14 miles earlier this morning and was just jogging through to see someone he knew.)

I will post the official times here as soon as I receive them.

Oh No!

Jeff Galloway's Marathon Training will drive you crazy!
No, it's not you...it's the Galloway students that drive the serious walkers crazy. Case in point; the last marathon we did in the Redwoods. As soon as we got started, we were passed by a running flock of Galloway "birds", perhaps 7 of them. And just after they passed us, they came to a halt, spread out across the road, like birds on a telephone wire, and began to walk...slowly. So we caught up with them and managed to work our way around them. And just as soon as we had passed them, they took off in full flight once more, running by us and then settling to earth again about 100 yards ahead of us. Well, you know the drill...we pass them, they pass us. Forever! Except there are only two of us for them to get around while it is a logistical problem for us to make our way around their much larger group. Plus, they chatter. They can't flock together without all of them recounting how exciting the last 100 yards were!

And even Galloway "loners" are a source of irritation with the constant run/pass/walk/pass/run cycle. Yet...his method has merit for those wanting to get in a good cardio exercise. Just go do it somewhere else...where I'm not.

Solo

Is there anything worse than a solo race against the clock? For some reason I dread the short workout races where I have to “beat the clock”. So I was less than enthused about a planned 3 mile (5K) walk this morning. And as soon as I started, the mental war began…”you’re really slow this morning!” and “Give it up! No one will know.” But I persevered and went the distance in 35:42, which is under 12 minute/miles. So if I do all the math, that works out to a possible 12.1? minute/mile for the 5K…or a 5K in 37 minutes? The math eludes me but I like the time. The last time I did a 5K I did it in 37:49, so it is an improvement.

Weight 202  BP is 123/58 and pulse is 59.

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.

Sorry

What I forgot to mention in the previous post…
Saturday was opening day for trout season and Deer Creek was crowded with people trying to find a place to cast a hook into quiet waters. And quiet waters were hard to find! The snow melt has begun and Deer Creek offered up mostly rapids for the anglers. It was the same situation on the Susan River, where I saw stretches of river that looked as good as any Class III rapids in the world. But I did see one good sized (3 pound) rainbow being carried home from the Susan… about 2 miles above Hobo Camp.

Progress

Friday afternoon: On our way out of town, we stopped at Fleet Feet so that I could buy a new pair of shoes and some socks. This store didn’t disappoint. Great service and I felt that I was fitted properly. And oddly enough I was sold a pair of size 12’s! I have always bought 11’s or 11 -1/2’s. But the shoe felt good enough for me to want to try it on our practice walk.

Shopping done, we headed up the hill on our way to Susanville and a long practice walk on Saturday morning. The river along the highway, Deer Creek, was running high and fast with lots of blue green water. A real beauty! When we turned onto Highway 36 and left the river, we began to see water standing in the small meadows alongside the road. Water was everywhere! The flood control channel near Chester was running high with spectacular man-made waterfalls. And when we crossed the causeway at Almanor, we could see that the lake was as high as we had ever seen it.

Here’s a link to a photo blog I found and it has quite a few Lassen County photos in it…explore!

Jill and I got an early start on our practice, walking on the new walking/bicycle trail that runs along the Susan River. It’s great paved trail and meanders from near the Little League field down past Wal*Mart. (We bought water at Wal*Mart…good idea!) I think we did that section about 4 times before we headed back uptown and over to the trailhead of the Biz Johnson trail. Here we knew that we had at least 9 miles ahead of us.

I wish I could say that the trail experience was great…but the surface was so uneven after a hard winter that we were both grumbling as we picked our way through the rocks, big and small, that littered the trail. There were even a few VW sized rocks that had made their way down and onto the middle of the trail. Even with the hazards, we seemed to be making pretty good progress, until about the time my GPS unit said we done about 10 miles. That was when I first noticed the small itching sensation that signals the start of a blister. Darn!

I went another mile before I was talked into sitting down and putting a bandage on it. It didn’t look bad at all; we had caught it before it had become serious. I re-laced everything and we continued uphill at a slightly reduced pace.

We turned around at the first tunnel (A spooky place!) and shared a quick bite of a small Cliff Bar. We were both happy to have that water now, as there is nothing quite as dry as a Cliff Bar after 11 miles of hard trailing!

The return trip went well and we ended up with 17.1 miles in less than 4 hours. The hardest part of the trip? That had to be the walk up Main Street from Richmond Road to near Lassen Street where the car was parked. Nothing says “I’m done!” quite like a steep hill climb after a hard morning on the trail.

But of course we weren’t done…when we got back up to the house, we found a small chore waiting for us. The 36’ long floor joists for the Dunn addition needed to be turned around and placed on the waiting supports. I can tell you that they look great! And I know that Bill and Jill are happy to see some progress being made after an overly long winter.

My original plan was to do 18 miles, but considering the condition of the trail, I think we did an exceptional job…ending up with an estimated pace of 13.7 minute/miles and at an altitude of 4,200 feet.

Cooking!

I decided to see how fast I might be able to go for a 4 miler this morning and I got it done in 43 minutes. That's a 10.75 minute/mile average. Now I need to find some shoes for tomorrows longer walk.

Old Shoes

Gotta get rid of them!
I did a longer walk today, about 11.25 miles. And it was quickly apparent that these old NB 110’s are worn out and useless. I have done innumerable practice sessions in them and two 1/2 marathons. Maybe 150 miles? Whatever! It’s time for something new on my feet. I do have a pair of NB 111’s, but they aren’t ready for a marathon. Or I’m not ready for one while wearing them.

It wasn’t the fastest practice and I didn’t even bother to try timing it accurately. I know that I walked for about 2 hours and 30 minutes, so that makes my pace somewhere in the neighborhood of 13.3 minute miles. But, my feet hurt!

And while I was walking, I would look up every once in awhile and wonder…where was I? The trees are now covered with leaves, giving the park a whole new look and it seemed to happen overnight.

Weight 206 (6 pounds overweight!)     BP 121/65    Pulse 71

Better Times Are Ahead

OK! A good time and a surprise as well. I wasn’t all that happy when I started out this morning. I had left my pack in Susanville and it contains my Kleenex, my pedometer and my GPS unit; plus my bandages for the occasional blister.

I had to make do with another “fanny pack” and just that was enough to make me grouchy. But I started out with the intention of doing 10 easy miles. I knew the distance for that was out to the gate and back twice. At the end of the first 5 miles I was doing a 12.6 minute/mile pace and I was happy with that. Then I decided to see if I could pick up the pace for the next five.

On my way and at the 7 mile mark, I felt the first little itch that signals the beginning of a blister on my left heel, so I decided to turn it around and go for a fast nine miles instead. And I ended up with a 12.0 minute/mile average for 9 miles. That has made me very optimistic about the upcoming race…

Another benefit was the fact that I put another 9 miles on the “death” shoes. I have found that these New Balance shoes are great once they are broken in, but they kill me until that happens.

Almost

Bad news…the much anticipated high altitude walking was a bust. It rained continually while we were in Susanville and the trails were mud paths. We gave up waiting for a break in the weather just before noon and headed home…but we’re heading back up next Friday, to get in one good walk at altitude before we head to the Redwoods. So this week it's back to Bidwell and some long walks.

Early

It's just a little after 6 and I'm looking out of the window at a very wet landscape. A Lassen County landscape at that. I'm at Bill and Jill's house for a high altitude practice and it doesn't look very promising. I was hoping we might get in 16 or 18 miles today, but with the weather looking "iffy", I'm not sure now.

Slower?

No, not the best of days. I had intended to get in a long walk this morning, but I just couldn’t get it into gear. My mind said “Go!” but my body was reluctant for some reason. I finished the standard circuit in 83 minutes, which is OK, but certainly not what I was hoping for. Since I had made a promise to myself to get in a longer walk, I added a mile to the course and finished with 7.25 miles in 1:41. And I was sweating?

I suppose I should take comfort in the fact that I did the exercise without a lot of discomfort. I was still able to breathe normally. I see that my BP is slightly elevated…133/71, but the pulse is fine at 59. Weight? Oops! Maybe that’s the culprit? No, I weighed that much yesterday and did quite well.

Tuesdays Pace

Not bad at all…I decided to do a short and fast walk this morning and did a four miler in 46 minutes. That’s an 11.5 minute per mile pace and I will take that kind of performance anytime. I knew I was doing fine when I reached one of my landmarks in 21 minutes, compared to the 23 minutes I had experienced a few weeks ago. Sunshine does wonders for me!

A Good One

What a great day! I got out of the car and into the park about 7 this morning and decided to start my practice over on the opposite side of 1-Mile, the side where the mile markers begin. The temperature was in the 40’s but with fair skies to look at, it wasn’t noticeably cold.

Before I had made it around once, I decided that I felt good enough to go for a half marathon distance. (13.2 miles) So I faithfully followed the route and went around one more time.

According to the GPS unit, I was maintaining a 4.5 mph pace and even at the 13.2 mile point; the pace was still the same.

Some figures:
1:22 for one 6.25 mile circuit of the park. (13:12 minute/mile)
2:50 for the half – marathon (12.88 minute/mile)
3:01 total walking time, at 4.5 mph.  (14.05 miles total)

The best part of course was getting in another half - marathon and then some; another ¾+ miles. It’s all psychological of course, but I needed to do this. Now the next marathon doesn’t sound so forbidding. And I did better today, in a solo walk, no crowds, no competition…than I did a few months back while competing in the Bidwell Classic. My time then was 2:51…

A Little Bit Faster

I’m just back from a good and fast practice. The temperature this morning wasn’t bad, maybe 50°, but the wind was blowing in gusts. And I don’t like being in the park in this kind of weather. The ground is already saturated and with gusting winds, you never know when a tree might decide to leap out of the ground and mug you. The last time through the park I saw two downed trees...

I decided to do a fast 5 mile walk and I did it in 62 minutes. (12.4 minute/mile) That’s a reputable number, one you can always brag about. (A small brag…don’t get carried away!)

And now that I’m home, the wind has really increased. That doesn’t make Sunday a good choice for another walk.

Suns Out!

A good day; a sunny day! You couldn’t ask for a nicer day! OK, enough already. Now, about the walking; I started off a little bit later in the day than usual and wondered if that was the reason for my slow pace. I couldn’t get past 4.3 mph. (13.95 minute/mile) I was struggling for some reason. Then I saw Lin Jensen, the other Chico race walker, coming towards me. We greeted each other and then he turned around to walk with me for a moment while telling me that there was a 21 mile power walk in Santa Cruz coming up soon. I thanked him as he turned to leave and then I turned and walked a little ways with him, explaining that I was signed up for a couple of marathons in the next few months. Again we waved and I returned to my task of getting around the park in as few minutes as possible. And I was still slow…and disappointed.

I kept pushing and pretty soon I was up to 4.4 (13.63 minute/mile) but at the end of one circuit (6.25 miles) I hadn’t advanced beyond the 4.4 pace. OK, I had to push harder and I was rewarded by seeing my pace increase. At the end of nine miles I was averaging 4.6 mph, (13.04 minute/mile) a respectable number. And that means that I had to have been walking in the 12.5 range for the last 3 miles.

13+

A good walk! I didn’t use any technical equipment…not even a watch. I walked for 2 hours and 1 minute according to the clock on the dash of my truck. So by using my deductive reasoning, I think I got in close to 9 miles. I’m sure I kept a 13 minute plus pace for miles. The nice part was the fact that I certainly could have gone further. Now I need to get in a longer walk tomorrow…maybe 3 hours.

And I had to keep a wary eye on the sky while I was walking, the clouds would move in, dark and forbidding and I would start wondering where I could take shelter? Then they would pass on by and I would see blue sky again.

Blisters

I’m back from a good walk, a 7.15 mile walk. But, the bad news - I’m slightly injured; I ended up with a blister on my left heel and that will bother me for a day or two. But the important thing is that I got in some good cardio exercise and I’m building endurance for the next marathon. 122/56 - 51 were my BP and pulse today, an hour and one latte later.

North Pole Marathon™

World's Coolest Marathon
I missed this year's event (darn! It's tomorrow) but it's on my calendar now.

OK, it should be on your calendar as well...

Sore

Almost a good walking day…but I wore my newer shoes and after 6 miles I had to give up and call it good enough. I was getting hot spots on both ankles, despite having stopped about 3 times to lace and re-lace the shoes. I don’t need a foot injury right now, so I contented myself with a good 6 mile walk at 4.3 mph. Not the fastest…

Often Walking

I did get in a good walk yesterday, in fact; very good. The fact that the flu had left me and the promise of better weather had me in a great mood and I didn’t feel any reluctance to get moving…although I didn’t use a watch and just free-styled my way around the park, I know it was a good workout. And it should be good today as well. According to the various forecasts, I may be able to get in a walk tomorrow AM, a little later than usual to avoid the morning showers. I will have to play it by ear.