Day 35: 5 miles

Ah, a short run!

Distance: 5.01 miles
Time: 33:09
Avg Pace: 6:37

Felt a little stiff, but otherwise fine

David out

Day 36: Rest

David out

Day 37: Long (18 miles)

Hoo boy.

Distance: 18 miles
Time: 2:04
Avg Pace: 6:53
Total ascent: 2305
Total Calories: 2126

The longest and most difficult yet. I felt awesome out to about mile 8, then pretty good past mile 12...then it was "gut it out" time. But I did 18 miles faster than race pace...that's an excellent sign! Mostly fatigue bringing me down...my legs felt pretty heavy near the end. I've started a hydration regimen- my watch beeps every mile and then I take a drink, regardless of whether I feel like it or not. Had an E-gel today, which sat pretty well (except for some gas at about oh mile 16)

2 more long runs before taper. One 18, one 20. Let's do this!

David out

Day 38: Pool

Change of plans. Last pool workout of the summer quarter!

5x100 warmup
6x50 kick
1500

A nice, nice long swim. I thoroughly enjoyed the Olympic distance part; didn't push too hard. Didn't look at my time either...35 ish?

David out

Day 39: Track

Time, not distance today.

2 minutes I pace
1 minute recovery
1 minute I pace
30 seconds recovery
30 seconds I pace
30 seconds recovery

Rinse, wash, repeat (4x)

It felt good to push in a different way (than just running long distances)

Speaking of which, tomorrow is my 18 miler before work. Half anticipation, half dread (though really, it's an incremental change)

David out

Day 40: 10 miles

Distance: 10.08
Time: 1:09
Avg Pace: 6:53
Total Ascent: 1248

No longer a long run. Out and back along the Arastradero preserve (of course!)

Why do I love this run so much? Well, hills in the middle, and a nice, long uninterrupted stretch back (the designers were kind enough to put some tunnels under 280/Serra)

Still not enthused about CytoMax Preformance. Supposedly, I can get all my carbs and nutrients in liquid form...and it's supposed to help. Not sure about the first, skeptical about the second.

David out

Day 41: Rest

Much needed.

David out

Day 42: 16 miles (long)

That was a hell of a run. I think I ran out of oomph (glycogen) at about mile 4, thanks to OLH yesterday evening. Definitely the toughest training run I've done so far, but I've got to learn to run tired.

Distance: 16.09
Time: 1:55
Avg pace: 7:08
Total Ascent: 1900 ft
Total Calories: 1905

David out

Day 43: Cross

Powered up Old La Honda this afternoon! Felt great, had a time that wasn't my fastest, but was far from my slowest.

Oh, OLH...how I've missed you.

Distance: 21.35
Time: 1:25
Avg Speed: 15
Total Ascent: 2696 ft

David out

Day 44: Rest

David out

Day 45: Long run (12 miles)

Another 12 miler- around Gunn, through the Preserve, and back. Just wasn't feeling it today. Slow and cranky about losing my spare apartment key. At least I did it faster than on Day 80 (and did more climbing!) Still not as fast as day 59, but there always are these days in training.

Distance: 12 miles
Time: 1:24:57
Avg Pace: 7:04
Total Ascent: 1612 ft

Tried out an "e-gel" today. 150 calories, no caffeine, funky flavors. Went down okay, but required lots of water chasers.

David out

Day 46: 8 miles

Felt tired today, but have to learn to run through it. No hills of note, just stringing runs together. Tomorrow is my makeup long run...really!

Hey, look at that picture! It's like a gripping hand...if you kind of squint at it. (Grabbing at the dish?) Any requests for pictures I can run on the map? I think I just invented a new Google game...

Distance: 8.14
Time: 55:23
Avg Pace: 6:48

David out

Day 47: 4 miles

Distance: 4.46
Time: 29:29
Avg Pace: 6:36

Campus loop...and then some.

David out

Day 48: 5 miles

Run went fine today. Migraine headache afterwards, though, ruined the rest of the day.

Don't know what it was. Wasn't especially bright, or hot, or ....anything. I guess it was just my time.

Distance: 5.04
Time: 33.28
Avg Pace: 6:38

David out

Day 49: Rest

Head cold. Will have to postpone my 16 miler for mid-week.

David out

Day 50: Cross

A nice jaunt out on Canada road on my bike with Ron today. (Hi Ron!)

My left calf was quite tight today, but some pedaling, stretching, and ice did it a world of good.

Distance: 28.74
Time: 1:50:30
Avg Speed: 15.6

David out

Day 51: 8 miles

Ran the back of the Dish today with some extra mileage tacked on.

Not a soul in sight on that climb. Just the misty morning, the ground squirrels... and the labored sound of my breathing.

Distance: 8.02 miles
Time: 54:52
Avg Pace: 6:50
Total Ascent: 1279 ft

David out

Day 52: Cross

I hit the pool today.

5x100 warmup
6x50 drill
3x300 (freestyle, sighting, pull)

David out

Day 53: Track

I ran too fast today.

(Goal times)

4x200 R pace (40) 32-34
200 recovery between each

2x400 R pace (1:21) 1:11 ish
400 recovery

1 x 1600 T pace (6:36) 6:15
1 minute rest

2x400 R pace(1:21) 1:11 ish
400 recovery

4x200 R pace(40) 34-36
200 recovery

I really need to get back in the pool/on a bike. For my sanity's sake!

David out

Day 54: 4 miles

Old route, new shoes. At least I pulled a massive negative splits there at the end (final mile: 6:07)

I love that all my runs are done at my old 5K race pace.

Distance: 4:16
Time: 26:31
Avg Pace: 6:22

David out

Day 55: 4 miles

Distance: 4.19 miles
Time: 27.19
Avg Pace: 6:31

Ho hum. I did campus loop for my short run today and pushed the pace.

I had another tri dream tonight. I'd better cross train again soon!

David out

Day 56: Rest

David out

Day 57: Track

for (int i = 0;i<2;i++)
{
for(int j = 0;j<3;j++)
{
run(800,'meters');
rest(45,'seconds');
}
run(200,'meters');
recover(200,'meters');
}

Output:
2:30
2:45
2:45
0:36
2:46
2:50
2:49
0:36

//Nice long warmup to a new track. Hot today, but pushed through.

David out

Day 58: Rest

Surprisingly not sore!

David out

Day 59: Long run (15 miles)

Distance: 15.00
Time: 1:44:30
Avg Pace: 6:58
Total Ascent: 2022
Total Calories 1774

I can

climb this hill-pass that runner-go faster-choke down this shotblok- go just a bit faster- finish this mile- run *just* 5 more miles (or 3 or 2 or 1)- relax my shoulders-kick it here-finish this run- keep up this pace -make it to Boston.

Whew. That was tough, but good. If I can maintain this pace, I'll be set. I ran around Gunn, down Arastradero, through the preserve, up Alpine, and on Campus back home via Lake Lag. There were some good hills! Legs felt a bit heavy going out, but had a fast pace coming back (splits are waaaaaaaaaaaaay negative). If I can keep up this pace in training, I'll be golden come race day.

I had a dream last night that I was riding a subway on my way to the SF half. (I was even excited in my dream) Guess that beats the last one where I couldn't find transition and I was lugging my bike everywhere, haha.

Rest tomorrow. Speed on Saturday. 16 mile run next week.

David out

Day 60: 7 miles

No hills. Also, late for work so no extra data until tonight

Edit: Felt a little under the weather today, so no hills. Decided to up the normal pace to my marathon pace; I'll aim for running at 7 minute miles from now on.

I ran campus loop and added on oak creek. The "trail" run was pleasant, but the traffic lights were annoying.

Distance: 7.03
Time: 48:03
Pace: 6:49

David out

Day 61: Cross

Pool workout today
4x100 crawl
2x50 kick

6 x 200 crawl

Stretching and swimming is definitely the way to go for recovery.
Hills tomorrow!

David out

Day 62: Cross

A nice sedate bicycle ride today to stretch my legs. Actual stretching will definitely be on the menu later today.

Distance: 10.4
Time: 44:13
Avg Speed: 14.1

David out

Day 63: SF Half Marathon

Bad news: That was a *hard* race near the end.
Good news: I ran the fastest race of my life.
Better news: Stanford Triathlon wins the SF Marathon team division!

Congrats to all the folks that came out today!

First, the stats:

Place Overall:	38	out of 1980
Men:	30	out of 837
M 20-29:	8	out of 172

AgeGrade:

69.14%

Place: 38

FINISH:

1:25:40

pace: 6:33

According to my GPS
Distance: 13.33
Time: 1:26:41
Avg Pace: 6:30
Total Ascent: 2250

My goal today was to start with 7:30 miles, then work up to 7:15 and perhaps even 7:00. That um...didn't work out too well. Special thanks to Carlos for pep talk, pacing, and recovery advice.

I woke up today in the Mission district and slipped out of the apartment onto a Muni bus. After a 10 minute ride, our bus driver stopped dead at the course blocking the road and kicked us out- 5 miles from the starting line. I hailed a cab with some fellow runners and we made it without incident. The starting area was...small. Perhaps I'm too used to transition areas with bikes and wetsuits as far as eye can see, but it definitely did not seem like room for 2000 people (or that there were even 2000 people, for that matter).

The first part of the course went fast. Carlos and I blasted out of the gate with a 6:12 first mile and were feeling great as we watched the 1:30 pacer recede into the distance. Highlights in the early part of the race included the folks handing out beer for those who wanted it at the first aid station. The course started flat, then hit some hills, but we pushed on through. Supposedly there was a herd of buffalo somewhere there, but I didn't see anything except the tunnel of race vision.
I kept up with him until mile 5, when a 100 ft lead became a 200 ft lead, and then a red figure up ahead that I tried to chase down. The folks running the full marathon were simultaneously a huge confidence booster and mobile obstacles, as our pace was much faster at this point.

Mile 6 or so broke out onto Haight Street. The miles flew on by as I tried to keep up the pace through the streets of the city proper. Mile 9 definitely started weighing heavily on me, and when I had "just a 5K left" I definitely could have used more energy. For me, it was light stomach issues and heavy legs. I had been alternating cytomax and water at aid stations, but I probably should have eaten more than the one shotblok I threw down.

Miles 10-13 were tough. I had to mentally maintain my legs moving as the hopes of negative splits faded. It didn't help that there were definite ups and downs in the course and that the folks around me were slowing down majorly. The ending chute was a welcome site, as I tried to kick tired muscles into high gear. Afterwards, I was pretty wobbly, with tired legs. But I got a nifty SF marathon foil blanket and plenty of recovery food and drink.

Regular readers of this blog know that my long runs have been pushed down towards 7:00 on good days, so 6:30 miles are *fast* for me. I'm proud to say that this shows how far I've come; I can now maintain my 5K race pace over 13 miles! I have surpassed my modest expectations and ran an awesome first half marathon. Thanks, Stanford Tri- best shape of my life! Plus my VDot has been upped from 52 to 54. Not a bad day's work!

Racing was fun! There's an energy about running with thousands of runners that sorely lacking in training runs. Kudos to the SFM team, the course was well staffed, well marked, and I had decent luck with the aid stations. My legs are a bit sore, but nothing out of the ordinary for hard training.

Lessons learned:
1. Don't go out too fast, but go with the flow if you feel good
2. There's no need to carry fluids on the run
3. Get in and out of the aid stations
4. Be sure to eat and drink!
5. Best prerace dinner ever (thanks Matt!) http://www.sporksf.com/home.htm

Here's a look at the triathlon folks
Full Marathon
42 Kevin Lohner 2:57:35 6:47 M 30-34/10 43 2:57:35 50:54 1:27:48
53 Mammen Jacob 2:59:45 6:52 M 40-44/5 54 3:01:21 51:06 1:28:28
663 Martin Nagel 3:47:16 8:41 M 35-39/122 766 3:53:29 1:02:26 1:48:06
181 Alison McGuigan 3:58:36 9:07 F 30-34/44 1184 4:54:07 1:10:28 2:02:09


Half marathon

23 Carlos Melo 1:23:44 6:24 M 20-29/7 28 1:23:47 10:46
30 David Li 1:25:40 6:33 M 20-29/8 38 1:25:43 10:46
10 Sarah K 1:27:46 6:42 F 20-29/2 49 1:27:48 10:51
28 Kath Boyer 1:33:53 7:10 F 20-29/7 118 1:33:55 11:59
38 Friederike H 1:37:18 7:26 F 30-39/12 172 1:37:23 12:37
259 Shawn Morel 1:46:41 8:09 M 20-29/56 361 1:46:46 12:37
392 Sryan Ranganath 1:56:54 8:56 M 20-29/82 622 2:03:11 14:11
266 Christine M 1:58:48 9:04 F 20-29/109 693 2:05:02 14:40

New goal: qualify for Boston! 63 days of training left!

David out

Day 64: Rest

Time to head up to the city!

David out

Day 65: 3 miles

Easy taper today

Distance: 3
Time: 23:07
Avg Pace: 7:43

David out