It's Been a Long Time!

Back again to post an update. Since my last post, I've run in a view trail races, ran the Oakland Half Marathon in 1:31 finishing 2nd in my age group, ran the 100th running of the Bay to Breakers in 50:14 and most recently, 30K trail race in Oakland where I finished 1st in my age group only because I was running against myself. My next race is the Portland Marathon in October, the first travel race I've done with my wife which is why I am starting up with this blog again, so I can chronicle our trip.

I've also been coaching a few runners for their own races which gives me a chance to write or say the word "I" less often. It was very satisfying seeing them reach their goals. It is true that men tend to do a poor job at running easy on "easy" days and that some women aren't so good at pushing themselves when running becomes painful. That said, it was a great experience and I am hoping to do more coaching in the future. 

Intervals

With the Bay to Breakers a mere 5 weeks away, it was time for some speed work, so off to the local track I went.

Memories of my high school track came flooding back as I warmed up. Familiar red cinder track crunching under my feet, I regained 35 years. Almost empty, except for one dog walker, I remembered going into oxygen debt on the 3rd lap, the elbows thrown while jockeying for position and the black spots in my eyes as I sprinted around the last curve to the homestretch. Today, I ran my intervals, not as fast as in high School or college, but the pain was oh so familiar. I could have worked at the state of the art track at the other high school in town

1st Race of the 2011 Season

To find out what kind of shape I'm in, I ran in the 2011 Oakland Half Marathon.  This is a failrly small race with less than 10,000 runners for both the Half and Full Marathon.  The event was well organized and I recommend it for all levels of runners. There is even a moonlight 5K that goes around Jack London Square. The expo was at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Oakland and it was fast and efficient with loads of booths for products and other races.

The start of the Half was set for 9:00 a.m on 3/27/11.  I drove to Oakland, arriving at Franklin and 14th Street around 6:45. I walked around the start, noting that all the runners had to sort of funnel through a inflatable staring gate. I decided to get in front to avoid any crashes in the iron gates near the start. I watched the start of the marathon at 7:30, saw that there was no problem getting through the starting gate and went back to the Jeep for my warmup. I stretched for a bit, then did a 10 minute per mile jog around the lake for about 3 miles.

At the start, I lined up at the front and got off all right. The pace felt quick, but I wanted to see what the split was at the first mile. It was 6:25, so I turned it down a bit, my goal being 6:50-7:00 per mile. From then on, I was able to keep a consistent pace, skipping the water startions because I felt pretty hydrated and it was very cool. If the sun had been out, I would have drank water after the halfway point. Around mile 10, the course wound around some muddy and curved trails at Lake Merritt. I lost some time here going around walkers and people hanging around the park. This is the only section of the race course I would change. Other than that, I liked the course.

Throughout the race, I was able to keep my pace consistent, but there was no speed. Not surprising because I haven't done any speed work so far this season. I was strong enough to have run the marathon if I had wanted to, probably in the 3:35-3:40 range. Instead of sprinting at the finish, I cruised in and my time was 1:31:45,  good for 2nd place in my age group and 62 overall. 

I'm happy with my level of fitness, but I need to focus on speed (intervals and surges) between now and May 15th, 2011 when I run in the Bay to Breakers.

On the Comeback Trail

Yes, it's been a long time between posts.  Life, as they say, got in the way.  That said, racing season is here. On March 27, 2011, I'll be racing the Oakland Half Marathon to see what kind of shape I am in. Then in May, I'll be running in the 100th Bay to Breakers. I was able to get in the first corral, so I don't have to spend the first mile weaving in and out of traffic. Then, there will be 2, maybe 3 trail races in the summer. The most important race for me this year is the Portland Marathon in October.  

So, that's my season. I'll do better with the postings, with photos etc. 

OOPS

Please excuse the audio clips that don't work and naturally, I couldn't figure out how to delete them without losing the entire post. Ah well, this will pass.

A View From My Backyard

After a very nice dinner of bbq chicken, mashed potatos and steamed vegies, I settled down on our bench in the backyard. I read from Jason Elliot's "An Unexpected Light." A fantastic book, it chronicles Elliot's travels through Afganistan, the people he meets and the culture he discovers. I think that governments that try to unify that many tribeled land are engaging in a futile and tragic exercise. Why do they do it? I think that politicians feed on such quests, believing that governments and laws are the answer to all problems and in order to justify their pathetic existence, say they will solve the never ending problem. I suppose I could fall into the trap of losing sleep over taxes yet to be paid, the job that I have to work inorder to pays those taxes or, I could come to my senses, sit on my bench, drink a beer and read a book.

Backpacking and Fly Fishing in Yosemite 7/16/10 to 7/18/10

What does fly fishing have to do with running, well nothing, except both are outdoor activities and I live and outdoor life. So, there you go.

Around 5:30, my friend Don and I started our trip to to the Ten Lakes region of Yosemite. This is a photo I took of the lake in the early morning, right before we started fishing.

This is the last part of the trail before arriving at the lake. Phew! hardest hike ever!

While Don was doing this...................I was doing this

Take a look at the dark clouds behind me. Just seconds earlier, there was lightening. And here I am holding a metal fishing rod.  Sometimes I'm a regular Einstein!

So beautiful, I can't wait to go back