Buddy Run - Mardi Gras Edition

Date: February 28, 2006
Location: Iron Horse Trail (San Ramon)
Weather: Dark Ominous Clouds, Slight Drizzle
Run Type: Buddy Run
Miles accomplished: ???
Time: 34:44
Pace: ???

Rain or shine. NO WIMPS!!! That's pretty much what I told my mentees the night before. Reiterating that running in the rain is nothing compared to what Leukemia patients go through on a daily basis...almost all wrote back saying they'd be at the buddy run. Their commitment and dedication was rewarded as the run was mostly dry. It did drizzle a bit, but it wasn't anything they could not handle.

It's all mental right? If you don't mind....it don't matter. Nobody minded. It was a great run!

I'm Sore.

Date: February 25, 2006
Location: Lake Merritt
Weather: Beautiful Blue Skies, Warm yet breezy
Run Type: Coach's Run
Miles accomplished: 6.6 miles
Time: 1:16:01
Pace: 11:31

For the first time this season, i'm sore. It's not painful, but I definitely feel it. A day after the track workout, I was not sore at all. That caught me by surprise because I anticipated some aches. It was too good to be true. Then this morning came and that's when I felt everything. More noticeably my ass and quads.

Still finished 2 laps (for the first time) around Lake Merritt. It's been awhile since i've been out there and it still has lots of poop and the trail is warped, but for some reason I missed it. Go figure. I managed to keep a pace under 12 minutes. It looks like i'm going to be knocking off at most one minute off my mile pace from last season. I'd like to get it under 11 minutes if at all possible.

Return of the Circuit Drills!

Date: February 23, 2006
Location: Dublin High School Track
Weather: Clear Dark Skies, moderate temps.
Run Type: Track Workout
Miles accomplished: N/A - Circuit Drills
Time: 21:08
Pace: N/A

Circuit Drills are back! I only remember doing it twice last season. The first time, it nearly destroyed me. It took me 25 minutes 40 seconds and I was so sore later that night and the next day. The second time, I completed it just under 23 minutes. Tonight, I completed the whole circuit in 21 minutes and 8 seconds and I feel GRRReat!. YES! I'm improving. Of course I was sucking wind the last 2 times around the lap, but you know what?....it felt awesome! Even though it sounded as if I was breathing like a freak, I was in such a rhythm that I couldn't stop running. That was the coolest feeling. So what did I do again? Here's a recap:

After two warm-up laps around the track and stretching:

Ran one lap around the track

20 squats
20 crunches
15 push-ups
20 squats

Ran one lap around the track again

15 supermans
15 push-ups
10 one-legged squats
10 one-legged squats

Ran one lap around the track again

20 squats
20 crunches
15 push-ups
20 squats

Ran one lap around the track again

15 supermans
15 push-ups
10 one-legged squats
10 one-legged squats

Ran one lap around the track for the last time

Buddy Run

Date: February 21, 2006
Location: Iron Horse Trail (San Ramon)
Weather: Clear Dark Skies, but of course cold.
Run Type: Buddy Run
Miles accomplished: ???
Time: 40:18
Pace: ???

Not much to say. Was shy of negative splits by 19 seconds....bummer. Well, at least I got to learn more about my mentees.

Strength Training Monday - President's Day Edition

I did my weekly Monday strength training. Today it was mostly upper body. I also took advantage of the day off from work by strength training my eyes for a different type of marathon. I saw all 9 episodes of Grey's Anatomy Season 1 on DVD in succession. Yeah, my eyes are exhausted, but good stuff. Now I have to find the first 15 episodes of Season 2. Good thing there is this thing called the internet.

My Mentor-led Run

Date: February 18, 2006
Location: San Leandro Marina
Weather: Beautiful clear skies, but chilly....very chilly.
Run Type: Mentor Run
Miles accomplished: 5.3
Time: 1:00:02
Pace: 11:19

What a beautiful day! I was dreading a down-pour for this morning during the week, but the skies opened up and all you could see was the fluffy clouds floating around the blue backdrop. Unfortunately, it was 40 degrees and everyone was freezing their asses off. There was a nice turnout for the first mentor run of the season. BTW, if I haven't pimped it enough this weekend, it was my mentor-led run. The run itself was an overall success. *pat myself on the back*...J/K. I really didn't do anything. I couldn't have done it without El Capitan.

Unfortunately Dr. Klein was a no-show for the last minute Injury Prevention Clinic. I'm almost positive mis-communication was lost regarding location or time. We headed out towards the homes and back and did the little island loop for a total of 5 miles. Actually it was 5.3 miles, but who's counting. I ran with "O", which made the time go by so much faster. My tingly feeling came back around mile 3-4, but went away after I fiddled with the lacing. I had this same issue around the same time last season. I really think it has something to do with new shoes/lacing and me breaking into them because it has a negative effect on me when I do more than 3 miles. Fortunately it went away and I was able to finish the run, but i'll continue to monitor.

Track Workout

Date: February 16, 2006
Location: Dublin High School Track
Weather: Dark and Cold
Run Type: Track Workout
Miles accomplished: 2
Time: 19:30
Pace: 9:45

Oh, it's just getting colder and colder this week. By Saturday, it should rain. Yippy. (btw...that's sarcasm). Tonight was our last track workout to gage or pace time and evaluate running form because next week begins circuit drills. Yippy. (btw...that's also sarcasm). 17 minutes, 19 minutes, 21 minutes for the yellow, green and red group respectively. Although El Capitan said I should run 21 minutes, I don't think i've earned that status yet.

Although we were gaging time on feet, my mind was set on doing 2 miles. Four times around the track and I was at 10:05. That means my second mile was 9:25. Yeah negative splits and under a 10-minute pace! Granted it was only based on 2 miles, but it still felt great. I actually kept good pace at around 2:30 per lap. Then I turned it up the last 2 laps.

Overall, it was a great chilly night and I got to meet more teammates. I see lots of success with Team Balance.

I'm so in love with Map My Run, that I decided to show where we ran tonight. Enjoy!

Yeah, I'm lame. I know it.

A Little Fun with Flour

Can you dig it? My mentor led run is this Saturday at the Marina and I have been given the authority to mark the course. OH, the power. Of course I have no idea what i'm doing. Shhh...but don't tell anyone that. I'm basically gonna follow the map that El Capitan drew up (similiar to the one above). Since I don't have a bike, I have two options: a) run the course and mark it that way, b) drive my way through the Marina Homes to get near the trail path and mark it that way.

BTW...my fun little course will be the first teaser of mental toughness. Those doing 5 miles will get to cross the finish line go out and back the Marina loop for another 0.5 miles. Should be no problem since it's just 5 miles.

Buddy Run - Valentine's Day Edition

Date: February 14, 2006
Location: Iron Horse Trail (San Ramon)
Weather: Dark and Breezy
Run Type: Buddy Run
Miles accomplished: ???
Time: 30:00
Pace: ???

Brrr...it was cold in the Tri-Valley region. To my surprise, a whole lot of my peeps showed up for the buddy run even on Valentine's Day. A couple of my mentees were running late, so I decided to stay back while Richard led everybody else out on the trail. It ended up being just the 3 of us in the "late" group. Good thing I had my light cuz the trail was very dark. Unfortunately we were annoyed by a couple of skateboarding punks. They could not have been more than 13 years old, but kept skating behind us in the dark. I finally gave them a look and they left us alone. Bored little suburban kids...*sigh*.

Since it was so dark, I decided to stay in pace with the rest of the group. I remember how meaningful it was when other mentors/participants stayed at my pace when he/she could have gone faster. We turned around at 15 minutes and to my surprise, we finished 15 minutes coming back. I told them with one minute to go, that we could get negative splits and quickly they turned on the afterburners. It was awesome to see them finish strong as they pushed themselves when I counted down to the last second. We didn't get negative splits, but we finished at 30:00...right on the dot. No joke. What made it more awesome was everybody from the earlier group waited for us to finish.

It's Back

Date: February 11, 2006
Location: Berkeley Marina
Weather: Overcast
Run Type: Coach's Run
Miles accomplished: 5 miles
Time: 56:49
Pace: 11:21

Funky running day. I did not feel like myself. The initial incline during the first mile felt exhausting, but I managed to do the first mile in 10 minutes. By the time I got to mile 2, I felt the tingly feeling (from season 1) creeping up again on my right foot. First thought...Plantar Fascitis. How could it come back again? That term was almost non-existent during the later half training for Arizona.

I had taped my foot to ensure I got proper support. I was running with somewhat new shoes...so that may have been a factor. What i'm really suspecting is that my goal to run at a faster pace time is causing me to tire quicker. Thereby, making me run out of form....causing the plantar fascitis. As a result, I think i'm not rolling off my feet, but rather pounding on it.

Even with uncomfortable feeling, I still managed to pace under 12 minutes. I'll take it slow the next run and see how my feet acts up.

Finishing Strong!

Date: February 9, 2006
Location: Dublin High School Track
Weather: Clear dark skies, moderate temp.
Run Type: Track Workout
Miles accomplished: 1.5 miles
Time: 15:11
Pace: 10:07

Tonight's track workout was to get a sample of everyone's running form and breathing technique. I must say Team Balance looked pretty good out there. We've got some serious runners on the team. I felt pretty good. Pushing a new pace time is a workout. I started off easy and finished it strong the last 0.5 miles. I'm gonna try to hit negative splits for every run this season. So far, i've been able to finish strong at the last 3 runs. It's a definite good feeling to know you can do better than when you started. Of course I say I want to do negative splits, but let's see how I do when it's the 10-miler (or even the 5-miler this weekend!)

Mentor Phil...it's a trip.

Date: February 7, 2006
Location: Iron Horse Trail (San Ramon)
Weather: Clear dark skies, warm
Run Type: Buddy Run
Miles accomplished: not sure (3 miles??)
Time: 31:18 + sweeping time (didn't time)
Pace: not available

Being a mentor is certainly a trip. It definitely isn't about me anymore. It's all about helping the participants along their journey. Having been a participant myself not too long ago, it's like re-living the Fall Season through the participants. Everything they ask, I asked before. Everything they felt, I felt before. What a trip.

I can already see the challenge of balancing my own training goals and helping out the participants. (Eureka! maybe that's why we are called "Team Balance") Today I was the sweeper and hung with the last participant to ensure she finished. In addition, the trail was dark and it was probably a good idea I stayed with her. I didn't get to work on my time, but if I made a difference in helping a teammate finish the damn thing, it was worth it. I did get to run a little extra as I went to look for other teammates that were not accounted for, so i'm happy I got to get in some more time on my feet.

Strength Training Monday

Yeah! I strength trained while watching the Warriors defeat the Nuggets on the tube. That's all for now.

First Run of the Spring Season!

Date: February 4, 2006
Location: Iron Horse Trail (Danville)
Weather: Cloudy, but later sunny
Run Type: Coach's Run
Miles accomplished: 4 miles
Time: 42:56
Pace: 10:43

It began as gloomy and drizzly day, but after the shoe clinic, the sky opened and the sun shined. A large number of participants showed up for the first official run and I was surprised to see a lot of them shooting for the moon, going for 4 miles. This season's team name is TEAM BALANCE. I'm apathetic with the name right now, but I hope it grows on me.

To be honest, I felt slugglish today. I keep thinking that its because of the after-effects of Arizona. That was 3 weeks ago. I wonder how long that can be used as an excuse. Perhaps it was also me going at a faster pace that I am normally use to. I've done 10 minute milers with Rocky at Lake Merritt, but I think this is the first time i've done a 10/11 minute pace for 4 miles. I can definitely feel the difference with my breathing. It's taking more out of me, but that's a good thing. I hope it means it will payoff in the long run (no pun intended). I still had plenty left in the tank to sprint the final 0.5 miles, so i'm satisified. The other good news is my legs and feet don't feel sore.

Hard to believe just 6 months ago, I was at this same trail and finished 2 miles (the farthest I ever ran at that time) and experienced my first of many natural running highs. It's a pretty awesome feeling.