Thursday, May 31, 2007

Thursday 4.5 Miles

I ran 4.5 miles by myself today at lunch. I ran the scenic "Burke Airport" route. I don't think I was quite as slow as yesterday but I do run very slow when I am running alone.

This gives me a total of 15 days of running in May for 76.5 miles. I have run 227 miles in 2007.

Comparing to 2006, I ran 16 days in May for 74.5 miles, and had 250.5 miles for the year at that point.

In June 2006 I ran 86 miles. This year I have a goal to run 120.

Weight = 180 lbs.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Wednesday Easy 4 Miles - Very Slow

Most of my running buddies ran at 11 today so I was by myself at noon. I decided to do the Tremont route without the extra hill (and 1.5 miles) at the end. I ran it very slowly.

The weather was warm, and I'm still recovering from both my weekend race and last night's 4.5 miles.

I did do leg-extensions and leg flexes before my run, 3 sets of 10 for each exercise. Doing this every month or so helps to prevent aching in my knees.

Weight = 182 lbs.

Eagle Run - 2006 vs 2007

The table below shows my mile splits from 2006 & 2007 in the same race, also how much faster or slower I was in 2007 for the individual mile, and cumulatively in the race.







20062007MileTotal
Mile 16:126:10-:02-:02
Mile 26:266:36+:10+:08
Mile 37:026:49-:13-:05
Mile 47:127:20+:08+:03
Mile 56:417:04+:23+:26

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Tuesday Night Running Club - 4.5 Miles

After missing several weeks due to soccer practice, I was back with the gang tonight. There were 7 of us, including nephews Tom and Cory on bikes, my brother Greg and brother in law Ken, along with friends Brad and Randy on foot.

Randy was has some foot pain that he thinks may be plantar fascitis. So he and I ran a little slower. Ken, Greg, and Brad ran "negative splits", or they ran faster the 2nd half of the run, after we turned around, than on the way out.

Brad bought Popsicles after we were done. As usual, many topics were discussed during and after the run, including speculation on whose car-alarm was going off in the grocery parking lot, and why.

Greg, Tom, and Cory were on their way back to Cory's brother Zorlod's apartment to watch the Cavs-Pistons game 4.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

5 Mile Race - Official Time

My official time was 33:59.7, I was 30th place overall and 5th out of 22 in my age group.

There were 234 runners in the race all together.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

5 Mile Race - 34:00

I had a 5 Mile race today. I ran the same race last year and finished 21st in 33:33. I was hoping to improve on last years time.

There was a light rain falling before the race but it was warm enough that it didn't feel bad at all. Keeping your shoes and feet dry was the important thing. We got to the race about an hour before the start and had plenty of time to warm up, change into racing shoes, and make a last minute bathroom stop.

We lined up, the bell rang, and we were off. I felt pretty at ease the first mile, I was around 25th in 6:10. I was running right behind a very experienced runner about my age, John N.

After the mile mark John picked up the pace slightly but I tried to stay in contact with his group. I still felt pretty good and hit the 2 mile mark in 12:46, a 6:36 2nd mile.

I slowed down a little in the 3rd mile and a group of 2 guys passed me, my 3 mile time was 19:35 for a 6:49 mile. Still doing well and ahead of pace for last years time. The 4th mile I actually thought I was gaining on one of the guys ahead of me but there were several turns so maybe I misjudged my pace. My 4-mile split was around 26:55, I don't remember exactly. Whatever it was, that mile was around 7:20 and that cost me alot of time in the race.

Another pair of runners (older guy and younger girl) passed me about this time. I tried to stay with them but quickly fell off their pace. I high-fived my family as I ran past them and finished right at 34:00, somewhere around 29th place if my count is correct.

At this race they have your age division clearly marked on your number and they pass out the awards right as you come through the chute. As a 35-39 male, I didn't place in my age group.

About a half-hour later, the kids ran the 1-mile fun run. My 10-year old son Levi has run this race the past 2 years and had a 6:10 last year for 10th place. This year he finished 6th in 5:42. I'll probably write more about the kids race in one of my other blogs later this weekend.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Thursday 5.5 Miles

I ran the Tremont route plus commercial hill today with Rick, Vicki, and Milica. Actually, Rick and Vicki cut out at the 4 mile mark. It was warm again, I felt pretty good today.

I plan to run easy on Friday as I have a race coming up on Saturday, a 5-Miler.

Weight = 185 lbs

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Tuesday 6.5 Miles

Rick wanted to go a little longer today so he and Milica and I ran 6.5 miles, out along the lakefront to the old Aviation High School and back. It was very warm, there was a little headwind on the way out and then it felt even warmer on the way back.

We ran along the course of Sunday's Cleveland Marathon and noticed many discarded Gu packets.

Weight = 184 lbs

Monday, May 21, 2007

Monday 5 Miles

I ran the modified Homeless route today with Rick. Rick hadn't run for 3 days. Now Rick is a workout fiend, going to the fitness center twice each day. Rick is in terrific shape for his age (50) but one thing he needs to work on is rest.

Today Rick was rested and you could tell. He really pushed the pace in the last couple miles!

Weight = 186 lbs

Friday, May 18, 2007

Friday 5 Miles

I ran 5 miles today and then joined the Abs class right after I got back. The Abs class is only 15 minutes but it is certainly humbling!

Thursday Night 2.5 Miles

I ran an extra 2.5 miles after soccer practice tonight. We had a league meeting at 8 PM at the VFW. Victoria had to get the kids home when practice ended at 7:30 and then came back for the meeting as she is in charge of uniforms. I had to wait at the fields while my 3 got picked up by their mom around 7:45. So I just ran from the fields to the VFW.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Thursday 5.5 Miles

There were 5 of us today and we ran the Tremont route (from yesterday) again. It was Kevin D, Rick, Vicki, and Milica. We added a little bit to the end so it was slightly over 5 1/2 miles total.

One amusing thing, in the locker room I overheard some guys talking about a nacho chip injury ... seems the chip was so large it scraped his mouth when eating it ... the other guy suggested he get the mini-chips and just eat more of them ...

Weight = 186 lbs

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Wednesday 4 Miles

I ran 4 miles at lunch today with Matt, Kevin D, and Vicki. We ran a new route to me, starting off heading to the south, down Commercial Hill, and then through the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland.

It was MUCH cooler than the Tuesday!

Weight = 186 lbs

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Tuesday 5 Miles

I haven't run for a week, no excuse really, jut busy with various other things. Once again today there was a big group going out, even more people than last week (Peter, Blondie, Gary, Rick, Kevin D, Vicki, Milica, and a new guy, Brandon). The weather was beautiful, very warm and sunny, probably the first day of the year in the 80's.

We ran the modified Homeless Route (due to the bridge detour). Our group broke apart several times and got spread out, but we continued to regroup and there were 6 of us still together at the finish.

Weight = 187 lbs

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Tuesday 5 Miles

I didn't go to Circuits today. There was a big group going outside (Rick, Kevin D, Vicki, and Milica) and the weather was beautiful, so I was easily convinced.

We ran a modified version of the Homeless Route. We had to change because something is going on with one of the bridges over the Cuyahoga River on the main route. Going the new way, we made a turn and saw a different bridge raised to let a boat go under. There was some concern that yet another bridge (do you know how winding the Cuyahoga is?) would be raised before we got there, but Vicki, self-proclaimed expert on boat speed, said we would make it easily, and we did.

The run was then uneventful until we got almost back to the office, when we saw a car with clouds of smoke billowing out from under the hood, and flames shooting down from under the engine area. Talk about excitement!

I went straight in to get a shower but some others who did not come in right away told me that the car totally burst into flames just a few minutes after we passed it!

Weight = 183 lbs.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Monday 4.5 Miles Solo

I haven't run since last Wednesday. I developed a sore throat and an extreme pain when swallowing, I even missed work on Thursday and went to the doctor. It was not strep but I got a prescription for an anti-biotic and also Claritin.

So I took Friday off from running and, as is common, was too busy over the weekend.

All my buddies from the fitness center were doing the "bootcamp" class at 1PM today so I ran 4 and a half by myself.

The weather was terrific!

Weight = 183 lbs.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Wednesday Easy 4 Miles

We had a large group today. Geoff, Rick, Peter, Vicki, Kevin D, and a new member of our group, Carol. We headed for the bridges route, thinking that some could do bridges plus.

Once we crossed the Detroit-Superior bridge to W 25th Street, we split up. Rick and Geoff accompanied Carol down 25th to the Lorain-Carnegie bridge and back. The rest of us added a little bit to the run. We were going at a stronger pace and expected to catch the other group somewhere on the 2nd bridge.

Well we arrived at the base of the 2nd bridge and they were not in sight. Kevin D and I pushed the pace pretty hard up the bridge but when I hit the peak and still couldn't see them, I backed off. Kevin continued to work hard, got them in sight, and actually came close to catching them right before we got back to our building.

Weight = 184 lbs.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Tuesday Night Running Club - 4.5 Miles

It was a stormy night, and practice was canceled for the soccer team that I coach. I called Ken and let him know I would be available to run. Randy also called so the 3 of us drove to Oberlin to meet my brother Greg.

Greg arrived dressed in sweatpants and a jacket, he said it had been raining and even hailing when he left his house. The sky was dry but foreboding. The main topic of conversation was Randy's recent marathon in Boston.

There was lightning in the sky and it seemed like the weather was following right behind after we made the turn-around and headed back (east) to the cars. It started to rain right after we finished.

Tuesday Circuits - With All New Stations

Matt taught Circuits today and we have all new stations. Attendance was down slightly, probably due to the great weather outside.

I'll start describing a few of the stations:

Squats, Wide Feet, Toes Out - We did this one with no extra weights.

Dynaband Triceps Pull-Downs - Kneeling on your knees, with a dynaband over the bar about 3-feet off the ground, you push your arms down, holding the dynaband for resistance.

Jump Rope - Since today was the first day I just did regular jump-rope but I also like to try crossing my arms and other tricks.

Weight = 185 lbs.