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.

A little chilly, but...

Another day in the park. This time I was better prepared; wearing less clothing and I was much more comfortable. Shorts and 2 layers of shirts for the basics. I added a hat and gloves but those came off after the midpoint of my 10K walk.

I started off at a good pace despite the pain of sore muscles, knowing that the pain wouldn’t last. And after a mile or so I was feeling pretty good. Thank goodness for muscle memory! My racewalking stride returned and made the walk much easier.

The shoes were still comfortable and the path had been cleaned up from the day before. Yesterday, I had to watch where I was going as there were all sorts of broken limbs and small fragments of limbs scattered on the path. Those fragments roll quite easily if you step on them and one such “roller” had me floundering for a moment.

Overall, 10K in 80 minutes, a 12:88 minute/mile pace. Now let’s see where the weight is… 204? Darn. It must have been the maple scone and latte I enjoyed just before heading home.

Training

OK. I’m back… after a month long hiatus, I’ve run out of excuses and decided to get my feet back on the trail and get in some practice for next months ½ marathon in Phoenix.

First it was rain and then wind; back to rain and some fog. Poinsettias were part of my excuses as well. And all during this time I was snacking and enjoying the occasional comfort food meal. Hey! It’s winter time and a guy has to do what a guy has to do…and that’s eat.

I took of from my usual starting point at 1-Mile in Bidwell Park; hoping to do about 8 miles. The first mile went by pretty fast and then I started feeling the effects of those 4 weeks without training. Sigh! After about 4 miles I was ready to pack it in but decided to persevere. I ended up doing the 6.38 miles in 85 minutes. That works out to be 13.32 minute/miles. Not much to be proud of but since I was afraid I was getting into 14 minute territory, I was glad to see those results.

This was also a time for me to try out my new NB 767’s. They are a little lighter than I am used to; a good thing. They performed well enough for their first trip out, though I was starting to feel some aching in the sole of my left foot after the 5 mile mark. And since I was by myself and in some minor pain, I decided to use my favorite daydream to pass the time. That daydream involves my winning the lottery and all the variations on that theme can keep me happily involved for miles!

Here’s the best news of all…201.8 pounds! I think I will celebrate and have some Cheetos. I wonder what the caloric value of chittle is? (Chittle=the orange crud left on your fingers after eating Cheetos)

Recap

I just got around to checking out the times for the 5K Run For Food event and here’s what I found… 34.37 was my recorded time and I ended up 434th in a field of over 1,000. And while I was buying some new racing shoes the other day at Fleet Feet, we found out that the Jesus Center made a little over $33,000 that day. Not bad for an event that was hoping to raise 3 or 4 thousand dollars and was expecting no more than a few hundred participants.

Hmmm? I thought I had a 37 minute pace. I think I'm going to go with that. I like the idea of a 34 minute walk, but it doesn't fit with my version of reality.

The Jesus Center Run For Food

What a great race…sure, it was just a short 5K walk in the park but it started out auspiciously with a large, very large, crowd showing up. The story was that they had hoped for about 200 runners and when all the dust settles, they think they will have registered a little over a thousand entrants.

I got there about 8 this morning and found a good parking place. The sun was bright and the skies were clear, making for a chilly morning if you were in the shade; as we all were. I got in a short line and picked up my bib number and t-shirt and then I headed back to the starting line area to do a few sprints.

The race was supposed to start at 9 and so I wandered back over to the registration area to see what was happening and I was surprised to see a line that stretched for at least a block; and more people were coming.

Of course the race did get off on time, more or less, though they announced that they had run out of bib numbers and entry forms…but invited all to run anyway and take care of the paperwork later.

A large crowd like this did wonders for my attitude and my speed. I got off to a good start and kept it up, passing lots of would-be runners. I heard someone behind me comment that they would like to learn how to “speed walk” like the guy (me) that had just passed them. I was tempted to slow down and let them know how to accomplish that, but had second thoughts and decided to keep on moving.

Finally, about 3K into the race, a couple of runners decided to pass me…and I decided to not let that happen. I accelerated and kept them just a few paces behind me until the final 100 yards. They must have decided they didn’t want to be second to a “walker” and so they sprinted past me.

I was quite happy to enter the chute and see that the clock had just turned to 37 minutes and I estimated that I passed the finish line at 37:07. Taking some time off the “gun time”, I estimate that I did the 5K in just under 37 minutes. That would be an 11:94 minute mile! Not bad at all and about 90 seconds faster than my last 5K. What a difference some competition makes…

Almond Bowl 2006

Well, the race is over and I think I did well, or at least good enough. I did the 5K in 37:30, more or less. The last time I raced in a short race like this, I did it in 37:49. Am I really faster? Not! I know I could have done a lot better if I only had someone to race against or race with. It makes a big difference and after about one and a half miles I was out of people to race against. Now I have to do the Jesus Center 5K walk on Thanksgiving morning...and just do a little better than this.

Oh, the pain!

Brutal! It was about 35 degrees out when I hit the pavement at Bidwell Park this morning, wearing shorts and a tee-shirt, as I wanted the best conditions for a short and fast walk. I did the mile in 11:26, not my best effort. The upside to it was the fact that I didn’t have to suffer for long. I returned with an overall time of 23:36, or an 11.68 average.

It may have hurt today, but it will aid me in my overall fitness and get me closer to obtaining a decent time in Saturday’s Almond Bowl 5K race.

Weight 197.4

The Simple Life

Life is far simpler now that I have decided to pursue ½ marathons and shorter races. For instance; I have a 5K race coming up this weekend and I did some training for it this morning…by going twice that distance. I did the usual circuit of the park and got in 6.38 miles in 81 minutes. That’s a 12.7 minute/mile pace. And since I have a landmark at the 5K distance, I was able to see that I did that distance in 38 minutes. (12.26)

Yes, I went back to racewalking and I think it is going to be my choice of “style” for all of the races in the future. I might run for short distances in a cross training effort, but I don’t see myself as a runner.

Speed training is something I haven’t been doing and I need to get back to it. Believe it or not, when I was training in Roseville and going to the ARC track in the evenings for speed work, my times were down into the low 10’s for a mile distance. So, tomorrow I will do a very fast one mile effort to see if I can’t pick up some speed for the weekend. Wednesday will be a slower effort and then I will do another fast mile on Friday. Saturday is a day of rest…

BP 118/51 Pulse is 62 and weight is 198.4

Bad Behavior

Blogger wasn’t behaving yesterday, so I had to postpone sending up this post till this morning…

I’m just back from a fairly fast 3 mile run and walk. And I think I soon have to make a decision; run or walk? The run, because it was cold, seemed to jar me more painfully than usual. The walk, by comparison, seemed quite nice! I did the run portion in 17 minutes (11.33) and the walk portion in 20 minutes. (13.33) Overall, that would be 12.33 and that’s definitely a good cardio workout.

So if I decide to rejoin the racewalking ranks, my plan would be to racewalk till I’m 70 years old. From 70 to 80, I would become a fast walker…no training necessary. From 80 to 90, I would become a serious stroller. And then, from 90 on, I could start all over again. Right from the very beginning…in diapers.

This mornings statistics: BP 126/65 Pulse 69 Weight 198.6

For and Against

I got in a good training walk yesterday morning, a 6.38 miler at a 12.7 minute/mile pace. And once again I debated with myself as to whether or not I should be a runner or a walker. Why do I do that? On the plus side for racewalking is the fact that it gives you a great cardio workout without the jarring impact that running gives your body. The negative is the fact that very few people racewalk and so you’re stuck with the fact that you will probably always practice alone. Running has a certain “elite” aura to it. Runners are perceived as being special in some way. Racewalkers are simply “odd” and often confused with the so-called speed walkers. Most people don’t realize that racewalking is a highly disciplined sport and an Olympic event; and it has been for close to a hundred years. Even baseball can’t claim that! Can you run a 6 minute mile? The world record for racewalking a mile is under 5 ½ minutes.

Statistics…5K was completed at a 12.35 minute/mile pace. 4 miles at 12.5

Weight... 200. Shame on me!

His unorthodox training

calls for cool runnings - Los Angeles Times

A great story...Anyone interested?

Thanks!

The Orland Crop walk is over and it was a great success. With your help we netted over $4,500 dollars for hunger relief. And the good news is that 25% of that money goes to local Orland food projects, like the Pantry and the Senior Nutrition Center.

As for myself...I enjoyed a good 3 mile run while Laurae got in a 3 mile walk with friends. I didn't get much company with me; there was one other runner and he was about 16 years old and I wasn't about to keep up with him!

Portland

Pictures are in! The race photos are now on the portlandmarathon.org website. Plus, the official times are now posted.

2:21:52 was the fastest time and 10:41:22 was the slowest. I was officially listed as being in 5,698th place with a time of 5:58:11, a 13:40 pace and 34th place in my age group.

If you want to see the photos, my bib number was 2350. Just fill in the search field and the pictures will come up...

Stretching it

I was able to enjoy? a good run/walk in the park this morning. 58:40 was the time and the distance was 5.16 miles. (11:31 minute/miles) I jogged the first mile at a 10:20 pace and then tried to slow it down as I was working pretty hard to get oxygenated. There really is a good reason to do warm-ups and I hadn’t. At the turnaround I had a time of 30 minutes exactly. (11.62 minute/mile) On the way back, I ran for 1.5 miles and walked the first of the return miles, giving me 11:00 minute miles for that leg.

Now I have to come up with a plan for the Phoenix Half Marathon; racewalk or run/walk? I’m leaning towards doing it via the racewalking method, but with 20,000 entrants, just making my way through the pedestrian traffic with decent form will be tough. That was a problem at the Portland marathon this year and I ended up running on the sidewalks just to get around the slowpokes. Or I could simply do whatever comes naturally and enjoy the whole experience.

I’ve done a lot of short distances during the past week or so and now I need to make sure I get in some good sub-1/2 marathon practices; distances like 10 or 11 miles will be sufficient for most training days. Or twice around the park and that’s 12 ¾ miles; and it’s also a distance I’m comfortable with.

Registered

Here’s some good news…I just signed up for the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona ½ Marathon. Yes, a ½ marathon. After completing 5 marathons it’s time for a change. I get all the “bling” without the sting! And a t-shirt as well… It’s scheduled for January 14th, a relatively cool day for Arizona. And according to the website; 20,000+ participants are doing the half? Now that’s a lot of people!

5K

Every day gets a little better. I was able to do a 5K plus (3.29 miles) in 36:30 and that gives me 11 minute/miles. That translates to a 34.38 minute time for the 5K; that was with my running (OK, jogging) for 2.5+ of those miles. I can also report that my quads felt the effects of my running with some hotspots in the muscles.

I’m not sure why, but the running seems to give me a real boost in my racewalking style. Perhaps it’s because it is such a relief to not be jarring your whole body with each step while running. I’ll keep on running, but my first love is always going to be racewalking.

And I dropped a pound…196.2

Counting Calories

Day two of the new training schedule went well. I did the same two miles but I ran the first mile, walked a half mile and then ran the last half. All in 21:30. Certainly not the fastest, but it was surprisingly easier than yesterdays effort. I definitely use more oxygen when running and that will require some training effort to accommodate. And this afternoon I noted some aches and pains in leg muscles where I have never felt them before.

But, overall I’m in good enough shape so that none of this training will cause me to be crippled for life…just a few new sore muscles to contend with.

A benefit; for some reason, when I switched to a racewalking stride at the mile marker, I was suddenly faster and smoother than I have been in a long time. Why is that?

I’m back up to 197 pounds, but it should come off easily now that I’m back on track with the abbreviated training schedule. The fact is, I can’t take a week off of training without gaining some weight…unless I reduce the caloric intake. Simple; but oh, so difficult!

Here We Go Again

I’m back at it; training again, though it’s hard to believe that a full week and then some has passed since the Portland Marathon.  

As I said earlier, my plan is to reduce the scale of my endeavors to ½ marathons and shorter races. So in preparation for that, I tried a walk/run combo this morning. I walked up the Bidwell trail for a mile at a 12:30 minute/mile pace. Then I ran back down…at a 9:50 pace. No, it wasn’t the fastest run I’ve ever done and it certainly wasn’t comfortable.

The racewalking stride is so smooth that anything else suffers in comparison, and suffer I did. Running just jars the heck out of me!

I know we all have a mental image of how we should look while running. In our vivid imaginations, we are like gazelles, or the cheetah pursuing the gazelles. But in reality…we’re plodders. Or, I am a plodder. I want to be light-footed, just kissing the asphalt lightly with my shoes. How do I get that spring into my step?

Well, no matter…it was great to be back and I know I can only get better.

And there’s a short race coming up in November, the Almond Bowl 5K walk/run. I’m racewalking it (maybe?) as I don’t think I’m ready for a run yet. We’ll see…

Changes

Due to unforeseen circumstances…I had to cancel my marathon date for today. But it’s OK. I have a good season behind me, one that I can be proud of. (3 marathons completed) And I have also decided to change from being a walker of marathons to a walker of ½ marathons and a runner of shorter races.

The training time required for racewalking a marathon was becoming a chore; not the best feeling to have when you’re trying to keep fit and still enjoy yourself. Simple math says that ½ marathons will require ½ the amount of training. And ½ marathons are held in all of the popular places in this country. This means that we can continue traveling to new places; I’ll walk or run and then we get to go sightseeing afterwards. Make sense?

And I do want to start running again. I know I won’t be the fastest runner in Chico (Aged 66+) but there is a good chance that I will be the fastest one in Orland. And you take your victories when and where you can.

The goal remains the same…fit, not frail!

Old but Not Frail:

A Matter of Heart and Head - New York Times

A good article...sorry if it requires registration to read it.

I'm taking it to heart. I've seen "frailty" and I don't like it!

Photos

Some pictures...
waiting in the dark...

Finished!

Finished, but cleaner

It's Over

It’s over. 26.2 miles are behind me now. There’s nothing official about my time; I tried doing some mental gymnastics as I I tried to remember exactly what time it might have been when I crossed the starting line. I think it was 7:05 and the clock said 6:02 when I crossed the finish line. So, that makes it a 5:57 time? I will know later on after the official times go on-line at portlandmarathon.org.

Wow! I just checked the website and they have live results; no waiting.

OK, 5:58:11…I’ll take it! That gives me a 13:37 average. If you want to see the results for yourself, my bib number was 2350.

Now back to the beginning. The start was almost normal; too many people and a slow shuffle towards the starting line. What was missing from the start were the signs that indicated where you should be lined up according to your pace times. Those were absent and so people were lining up anyplace they felt like it. This created a real problem for the first two miles as I had to duck and dodge between slow walkers that were taking up a lot of road space. I finally ended up running along the left side of the road and sometimes up on the sidewalk in an effort to find some breathing room.

Once we started up the first hill, it became easier to get past the strollers and it became a regular marathon at that point. Pick em and put em down! And do it at the same speed and same stride for the next…say, 23 miles.

Without my trusty partner to inspire me, I had to find someone to focus on and I found one; an older gentleman (like me) and he had a great racewalking gait. We stayed quite close from about mile 4 until mile 9. That was when I decided to make a bathroom break. When I emerged, I ran for awhile, hoping to catch up, but without success, so I just kept plugging away.

About mile 12, I saw him ahead of me but I just couldn’t make any gains on him. I figured that once we reached the Saint john’s Bridge hill, I could make a move on him. But, to my dismay, he pulled over to the side at mile 16 to change his socks. Darn! No matter, I found my way to the top of the hill and across the bridge. It was all downhill (almost) from here.

Then, at mile 21, he caught up to me and passed me. Whoa! I really didn’t have it in me to change that situation…yet. So I just kept him in view and hoped for a chance to catch him. And at mile 24 I did catch up to him; in fact we chatted for awhile. He lives in Vancouver and moved there from Citrus Heights. We kept on together for awhile and then he slowed or I got faster. Either way, I pulled ahead with just a mile to go. And at the half mile marker, there he was again, on my right shoulder. As we raced towards the finish line I was able to pull ahead of him and finished about 5 or 6 seconds faster, But since the race is decided on chip times, he might have beat me. That’s OK; it was fun to race to the finish.

After my chip was removed and I had my medal, it was time to browse the eats! Orange juice seemed to be my favorite this time; that and biscotti ice cream sandwiches. A little more water and some string cheese and I was good to go.

Now I’m relaxing. I have had a cold bath to help the injured tissues of the legs and a warm shower to remove the road grime. I’m nibbling on anything within reach and not worrying about any calories. And in about 2 hours we will walk (yes, walk) down to the Oyster Bar for dinner. A well deserved dinner.

Saturday; the day before...

This is what we will be looking for tomorrow...the finish line. Doesn't look like much right now, but it will change!
and right around the corner from the finish...our reward. All of the tables will be piled high with food for the weary competitors.
Don't forget the key!
Local color for the marathon.

So it begins

Here we are in Portland. We had a pleasant trip, stopping a few times to stretch and to eat. We were in downtown Portland right around 5 PM on a Friday, so it did get a little bit hectic as we manouvered our way to the front door of the Hilton. After checking in, we stopped to eat at the in-house restaurant; a great pasta dinner! Then it was just a short stroll across the street to the older Hilton, where the packet pickup had started. We had picked the right time to do it, as there were very few people in line and when we left the numbers had increased dramatically. Tomorrow there will be lines up the escalators and out onto the sidewalk.

Now we're settled in for the evening; the car is parked safely away somewhere underground and we won't see it again till Monday morning checkout time. And that means we will be doing some walking around downtown tomorrow...call it "training".

On our way to the hotel I did see that they were already beginning to assemble all of the hardware/fences/etc that are used for crowd control and tomorrow we will certainly see a thousand portable toilets lined up near the start. Utilitarian, but quite colorful!

I had this thought last year; all of those toilets are locked with a little padlock and of course each must be un-locked sometime before the start. Imagine the pandemonium if someone lost the key?

Closer to October 1st.

I had a good training walk, doing 6.38 miles in 83 minutes. No, that’s certainly not fast (13.01 minute/mile) but it was comfortable. I was doing some daydreaming and my feet were on “automatic”. And I was daydreaming about how it was going to feel next Sunday, when at 7 in the morning, myself and 14,000 others would start the 35th running of the Portland Marathon. I’ve checked the weather and the forecast is for 70 and partly cloudy. Lovely!

Last year, it had rained the night before but it turned out to be a warm day for us. And I remembered last years starting miles…I think it was right around mile 2 that we were forced into a construction detour. The course narrowed down and pretty soon we were faced with large puddles of rainwater and a muddy path alongside a fence. Of course no one wanted to get their shoes wet this early in the race and so people were skirting the puddles and then getting all jammed up near a narrow gate; where only about 6 or 7 people could pass through at a time. My time for the first few miles averaged 17 minute/miles…a crawl!

And I must note that I won’t have my partner with me for this race. Bummer! She keeps me focused on my speed and now I will have to do some fancy mental exercises to remedy that loss. I must make sure that I target an individual and then try to slowly overtake and pass them. Then pick another. I just have to keep doing that until I see the finish line. Last year we got our biggest mental boost by accelerating up the hill towards the St. Johns Bridge; passing the competition, left and right. I want to do that again!

I read that there is going to be a racewalking division this year, but I’m not enrolling in it. Judged racewalks are not my cup of tea. Of course I will be racewalking… but I will be my own judge, thank you.

Weight 195.3 (Darn cookies!) BP 128/60 Pulse 64

Tune-up

A very nice day in the park…and a good day to do a fast 5.19 miles. It was cool; in the high 50’s when I started but I was soon warmed up and really quite comfortable. I ended up with a 12:33 minute/mile average, making this a good tune-up for the marathon next weekend. I intend to do a longer walk on Monday, a little bit longer on Tuesday and a short one on Wednesday. That will end it; giving me 3 days of rest before the event. And after that, I may do one short walk before the Westwood/Susanville marathon on the following weekend.

Weight was 193.6

I'm Back!

A good one! Since I wanted to work on speed I decided to do the same distance I walked on Tuesday, 3.23 miles. And I knocked a minute off of my previous time, doing it in 40.06 minutes (12.16 minute/mile). And I was able to drop about a pound of weight as well.

And while I was walking, I remembered a conversation I had with my sister regarding ChiRunning. We had both heard the PBS interview that gave some info on the subject and I remember thinking at the time that it was a great idea! I would love to run a marathon just because it would free me from the discipline of racewalking. Not that I don’t love racewalking; after all, it’s the “Cadillac” of bipedal transport!

And when I visit the Chi-Running website, I see a Chiwalking link…hmm? that could be interesting as well. Here’s a quote.

“ChiWalking helps reduce or eliminate knee pain, hip pain, and pain from arthritis. Walking has been proven to lower the risk of: heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and more. Walking can truly be a lifesaver and with the ChiWalking mind-body approach, the benefits are exponentially increased.”

Weight 193.6 BP 131/60 Pulse 56
Blood pressure seems high, but I just got back from the park.

Dark Mornings

It's that time of year...dark in the morning and staying dark longer. It's about 9 weeks now before we see a change back to Standard Time and then the morning's will be more enjoyable. (Is that right? 9 weeks? End of October?) I will be in the park this morning about 6:45 and it will be semi-dark, but light enough for a training walk.

My plan is to train through this and the next week and stop on Thursday, 3 days before the marathon. I am not doing any more long walks (over 15 miles) and will try to concentrate on speed.

I'm feeling good about my training and that's important...all marathons require a good "mental" preparation as well. And it looks like my black toenail will stay on for the race. Last year at this time, it had just fallen off and I was worried that it might bother me during the race. It didn't.

Fall?

It was a great day for training. Some wind and cool; maybe 68 degrees? I started out with the hopes of getting in a good mid-distance walk and doing it fast. So I ended up with a distance of 8.38 miles in 1 hour and 48 minutes. That’s good enough for a 12.89 minute/mile average. And with this wind, the falling of the leaves accelerated; pretty soon after I started, I was creating a “crackle” with every step and leaving a trail of broken leaves behind me. At one point, I looked up ahead of me and the sun was creating golden sparkles on hundreds of leaves as they slowly danced and twirled in their descent.

BP 121/72  Pulse 69 and weight is 194.8 (Must have been the ice cream last night)

Highs and Lows

Not a bad walk…short but fast enough. I did 3.29 miles in 41 minutes and that’s a 12.5 minute/mile; good enough to get the heart pumping as needed. My original plan was to spend a little time in training while we were in Santa Fe; the condo was supposed to be about 5 blocks from the Plaza and I imagined that I would arise early and walk down there for a coffee before anyone else was awake. I hadn’t counted on the fact that the condo was at the top of a steep hill, a very steep hill! And walking real fast at 7,000 feet was pretty much impossible for this guy. I did a couple of short walks from the office, where I picked up the morning paper, back up the hill to our rooms and those walks had me puffing; and I’m in good shape…

And more good news…my weight this morning is 194.6; after a long weekend of eating some rich foods. Feeling good!

A Long Walk

After a 19.14 mile walk, you would think that I would have plenty to talk about, but no; I’m just out of words. Just enough to say that I did it in 4 hours and 28 minutes. That’s a 14 minute/mile average and I can live with that. I didn’t plan on going fast today; just wanted to rack up some miles before we head to Santa Fe and a long weekend of vacation. Yippee!

BP is 103/57 Pulse is 68 and the weight is 192.6. Now that’s good! I was hoping to hit 190 before the Portland marathon and it looks like I’m pretty close to it.

Short and Sweet

Not bad at all…I decided to go for a short and fast walk this morning and the results were gratifying. I was able to do 5 miles in 62 minutes; giving me a 12.4 minute/mile average.

I suppose I will never be a good competitive race walker and that’s OK. I really don’t feel the drive to do that; it requires more dedication than I’m willing to give it and I don’t see myself changing. My training schedule is based on how I feel and not on what I should be doing. And truth be told, I don’t want to spend that much time on training. I’ve done well, losing a lot of weight and gaining lots of endurance and pride. My only goal, really, is to stay fit. Walking is healthy. I don’t take any medications at all and my doctor seemed surprised at that…after all, I’m 66 years old and apparently I’m supposed to be actively supporting the pharmaceutical industry, not the sports shoe industry.

I heard a startling figure the other day; 21 million people in America are diabetic. That’s an epidemic! Yet the easiest way to help in the fight against that disease is right there at the end of our legs…

BP 117/53 Pulse 57 and Weight is 194

Promises, promises

Despite my promises, I wasn’t able to go for a 14 mile training walk. I went around once at a 13.16 minute/mile pace and then went around one more time, hoping to do better. And by the time I reached the 3 mile point, I could tell that my muscles were tightening up, not relaxing as hoped for. (After doing 18 miles on Tuesday, I should have taken a 2 day break.) I decided to cool it and come in early and at the 10.41 mile marker, with a 13.28 pace, I turned and walked the rest of the way back to the truck. I still ended up with a total distance walked of 11.67 miles and at 4.5 mph.

BP 105/56 Pulse 56 and weight 193.2

Slow/Fast

I’m back from a good walk…18.05 miles worth of walking. I have to admit that I wasn’t very happy with my time on last Saturday’s walk and felt like I had plenty to do get myself ready for the marathon. Maybe more than I had time for? Today I feel much better, doing the 18+ miles in 4 hours and 8 minutes. That gives me a better minute/mile (13.74) time than Saturday’s and I went 2 miles further.

BP 121/55 Pulse 68 and Weight is 195.4

I don’t know why I beat myself up with all of these figures; too slow! Too fast!…the race will make them all meaningless.

Longer, not faster

Yesterday, I got in a fairly long walk (16 miles) and I did it faster than I thought I should. 13.83 minute miles average. I was really trying for a slower walk and more mileage…I could have gone further, but I was bored and wanted a break from the monotony of the park.

What I really need to do is to stop focusing on the times and spend more “time” on just doing more miles. It’s conditioning, not speed that is needed for the long distances. Race day and the crowd will bring out all the reserves you need to do well. Just having some competition will cut many minutes off of your usual pace.

New Year results

It’s a new year for sure…and I did well on the first day of my 66th year. I went to the park with the intention of going fast and was quite successful. After shaking off the aches and pains from yesterday’s 13+ miles, I clocked a good 12.02 minute mile for the first mile. At the turnaround, 1.65 miles, I had an average time of 11:87. Then it was a sprint back to the finish…3.3 miles in 39.22 minutes, or an 11.88 average. Doing some comparisons; that pace would give me a marathon time of 311.256 minutes (5.18 hours – I wish!) More realistically, that would give me a 5K time of 36.83 minute/mile. Now that’s more like it!

Let’s see…BP     116/62     Pulse 52          Weight 196.2

Almost over

On a different subject altogether; I’m looking forward to the end of the marathon season. The training has become a chore and although I’m certainly healthier because of it, I’m looking forward to a more relaxed schedule in October. I’m still looking at the last two marathons with optimism, but now I’m thinking about changing my style to ½ marathon distances. I will have done 6 marathons in my life and millions of people never do one…so I’m OK with that. And ½ marathon distances are so much easier to train for; and I can still hit the big marathon sites, like Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, etc. Just being part of the event is great. I really do love being around marathoners! Running or walking, marathoners are a special kind of athlete.