Training Log: PG

Event: New Bedford Half Marathon
 

road running race 1:33:15 13.18 mi (7:05 / mi) vdot: 49.3
ahr:158 max:169 shoes: x-talon 212 #2

USATF-New England half-marathon champs at New Bedford. Ran well, expected time was hopefully better than 1:38 (7:30 pace), maybe close to 1:35, so this was even better. 9th in the 60+ crowd, hope was top 10, so this was fine too. The miles just kept clicking by at about 7:05 pace and I didn't die too much at the end.

And an extraordinarily pleasant trip to the SE coast.

Ok, first the race. First time I'd run it. Checked out the course map and it seemed pretty benign, 3 modest hills between miles 2 and 4 and then 1 slightly more than modest hill at mile 12. And a whole lot of flat stuff in between. So it seemed like a good time should be possible.

Except for the usual consideration that I'm not getting any younger. I was reading a book recently about masters running and how your performance declines as you get older. And more precisely how this decline accelerates as you get into your 60s (and even more after that). I have no doubt that true. But I'm not sure if knowing it helps or hurts -- is it better or not better to have an excuse, even if the excuse is mostly valid?

Do you end up not trying as hard, not preparing as well, not being as smart, because, hey, I'm old therefore I'm slow, there's nothing I can do about it?

Or do you accept what has to be accepted, and so avoid the discouragement that comes easily as ability declines, and still try your best with what you've got?

I'm trying for the latter, because making an effort and seeing the results of that effort is still immensely satisfying, but it is still a struggle to find the right balance. Because excuses, so easy to grab onto, are almost always so useless.

----------

Good sized field, about 2,500, lots of very good runners. Saw a few friends before the start (that was unexpected, I had the feeling I might not see anyone I knew all day), including my good friend Seth. We run about the same, and he said he was going to run with me for a while. That was OK with me. A few people you don't want to run with, either they're noisy or they run erratically and bump you, but Seth is cool.

Race started and we were off. Took 15-20 seconds to cross the start line, but they were using chip timing so we'd get real times, and right away the running was clear. And it felt really easy, the legs were good. Saw Samantha just ahead of me, going just a little faster, I must say I thought she ought to be going faster, given how well she runs.... :-)

The first set of hills start after mile 2, and I seemed to be rolling up them easily enough, pulse would pop up a few points, breathing would pick up some, but the speed would stay pretty good. At the top of the second rise Seth announced he had to pee, so that was the last I saw of him until after the finish (though he said he saw me for a long time, got within 20 yards of me at mile 8 but then I "took off," in reality I think he just slowed a little).

And then a long stretch heading south, slight to modest headwind, just mile after mile mostly flat, a couple of short downs, every mile in about 7 minutes. Hit 10K in 43:51, my best in a while.

The legs were slowing feeling the effort, the mind kept running the numbers -- what will my time be if I slow to 8-minute pace, or 7:30 pace, trying just to set an upper limit on the possibilities. Doesn't really mean anything, but it keeps me entertained, helps the miles pass. Also regularly checking the pulse, trying to keep it about 158-160, didn't think I could keep it at 162 for 95 minutes.

Turned back north at 9 miles, now the wind was slightly behind, felt like dead air, and a little warm (temp probably in the mid-50s). Passed 10 miles in 70:53 (first 5 in 35:24, next 5 in 35:29). Two more flat miles to the start of the last hill just before mile 12, did them in 7:04 and 7:18, starting to struggle. And then up the last hill, not steep, slowing at first but then 3 or 4 people passing got me going and I started pushing again. And then finally the turn for a couple hundred yards sharply down and then maybe 300 yards flat to the finish. 93:15, a good hard effort, very pleased,8:05 for the last 1.1 miles, 22:22 for the last 5K.

Saw Sam and Ross and Ian as soon as I finished. Ross had been in forever, 75 minutes, Sam and Ian were about 91:30, just fine, though I know both can do a lot faster. Seth came in a minute later.

Results.

Legs don't feel too bad, but my heels are sore. Been that way for quite a while, slowly getting worse. Need to step up the preventive maintenance and take it a little easy for a bit. And have a look to see what comes next.

Note

And a bit about the trip to New Bedford.

Got done with work mid-afternoon, stopped at home to pick up Gail, got to New Bedford with still an hour of daylight, time enough to drive around a bit, partly to take in the sights in the old whaling city, also to check out the course. And then to dinner at a Portuguese restaurant Gail had picked out.

It looked rather seedy, but the couple exiting just as we arrived said the food was excellent if you like spicy Portuguese food. Clearly they did. Clearly we didn't know if we did or didn't, never had it before. But in we went.

The place was full but for one table, ours, we'd called in advance. The female owner was friendly, the quite elderly waitress spoke just a little English, but the menu was in English as well as Portuguese. People seemed to be speaking more Portuguese than English.

The food was excellent, swordfish for Gail, chicken Mozambique for me. The atmosphere was really nice -- lots of locals all seeming to be having a fine time, lots of laughter, everyone eating and drinking lots. Very social. A sense that eating out like this was very much a part of the social fabric.

It was also quite clear that we were the only runners in the building. I did spot a couple of guys who looked like they might partake of physical exercise once in a while, but that was because they looked like they might be part of the local Portuguese mafia, or whatever it is called, called upon (and appearing quite able) to use physical force every once in while. I might be wrong, but they sure had that look.

Back to the motel after dinner, walked in just in time to see Kansas come up short in its basketball game. Poor Spike was all I could think. But at least they got farther than UMass.

Breakfast in the morning, the most unusual crowd I have ever seen at a motel's free breakfast, as it seems that the only other occupants of the motel were a busload of runners from Burlington, Vermont, in town for the half-marathon. The average body-mass index of the breakfast room was maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of that at dinner the night before. And I'm not sure I've ever been in a room with a bunch of others and been the fattest person in the room.

Had a nice chat with some of them. What a fine way to go to a race, easy logistics, good karma, and a chance for a nice nap on the way home. Made me quite envious.

Then the race, Gail off to visit an art gallery and the whaling museum and look around the old town.

Then a bit of a stroll around, perfect weather, lots of places open, lots of runners around, stopped in a funky soup place for a sandwich, just fine.

Then headed home, a different way, via Providence, never been to Providence, had one thing I wanted to do there and I thought of calling Charlie for recommendations. And that one thing was to get dessert. More specifically, a chocolate dessert. A rich chocolate dessert. And I figured we ought to be able to do that on our own.

The center of Providence is quite beautiful, the state capitol is striking, it was a glorious late afternoon.

The chocolate cake was rich and magnificent.

trail running 31:58 [3] 3.2 mi (9:59 / mi)
rhr:48 shoes: saloman

Short and easy, warm day, verging on too hot. If it's like this in March, what will summer bring?

Major decision what what to listen to. I've been enjoying Fresh Air recently, she has good interviews, and the ones about the arts are often with people I've never heard of. Next on my list of FA was with a music group called the Carolina Chocolate Drops, I was about to pass on it and scroll further down the list, but then thought, what the hell, I might learn something.

Delightful interview. Interesting music and personalities. And once again showed how little I know about music and how it's put together. I just don't have a clue. But at least I can still enjoy it.

Note

Nice recognition for Surebridge as one of the 101 places to orienteer before you die, and it's said by many to be the best place for orienteering in the USA, so I guess I'm probably in the minority, because I'm not sure it would even make my top 10 in the state of New York.

1. It can be very hilly, much too hilly for my tastes, though that depends on what the course setter does.

2. It can be very rocky, much too rocky for my tastes, pretty much regardless of where the course setter sends you.

3. A substantial section of the map is woefully out of date, and out of date for the worse, meaning the vegetation is seriously worse than mapped.

I'm not saying the orienteering isn't challenging and interesting. I just think a lot of other places in the state are also challenging and interesting, and are also a lot more fun.

track 12:23 2.4 km (5:10 / km)
ahr:135 max:148 shoes: x-talon 212 #2

At the indoor track with Dave, usual warm-up with a couple of faster 200s. Only a couple of other people there, anyone in their right mind would go outdoors, but I love running at the indoor track so will probably go there a couple more times before its public sessions end the first week of April.

track 21:48 4.8 km (4:32 / km)
ahr:153 max:168 shoes: x-talon 212 #2

The theme for today was quick but easy, the details being 12 x (200, then 200 jog), the easy part being that since the quick bits were only 200s then they wouldn't hurt because they would be over so quickly. Not exactly true. Pulse got cranked up anyway after the first few and I thought at various times of doing a half-Bricker (stopping at 10) or a full-Bricker (stopping at 8) but the shame that that would have brought was enough to keep me going.

As with all other aspects of my running, it amazes (and apalls) me how such a good effort can yield such slow times. But have to keep trying.

44.6, 44.2, 43.9, 43.5, 43.0, 43.1, 42.7, 42.2, 42.5, 42.0, 41.2, 41.6.

track 4:12 0.8 km (5:15 / km)
ahr:134 max:139 shoes: x-talon 212 #2

And a slow half-mile afterwards. And all done.

trail running 36:44 3.59 mi (10:15 / mi)
ahr:126 max:146 rhr:48 weight:139.5lbs shoes: roclite 305

Just an easy run on the ridge, trying to keep my pulse below 140 but that was not possible on a couple of the hills. Still, taking it easy.

Sunny, abour 65F. Too damn hot. A reminder of how it will feel when it does warm up and it is miserable. About 45F is just right.

Even got our taxes filed today! Earliest in a long long time, and one of the few times without an extension. Now I've got to get my mother's stuff together (a nuisance) and finish up my niece's (a pleasure).

yoga 45:00 [1]

New teacher. Regular teacher is pregnant and not having any easy time of it, so her partner (also a qualified teacher and quite gorgeous) is substituting.

Any new teacher does things a little different, so now I have a couple more things to add to my list of yoga stuff I can't do, or can only do in half-assed way. Though always with a smile....

road running 1:12:48 9.1 mi (8:00 / mi)
ahr:142 max:160 weight:139.5lbs shoes: saloman

Dave came up for a run so the pace was probably a little quicker than it would have been on my own. And given that it was another day without good legs, it was a bit of a struggle. But very nice to have the company.

And now, having showered and eaten, a nap would be just fine. But it will not happen. :-(

At least not for another month.