I raced in the Vaughn Forest Fitness Challenge 5k this morning. I had intended to use it as a tune-up for my target race on May 10, but when the gun went off the competitive juices flowed. I ran the first two miles in 6:05 each, slightly too fast. I paid for it in the last mile, but still managed to finish second in my age group.
More significantly, my time was 19:13. If my math is correct, that means I've taken 34 seconds off my 5k time this year and am now a mere 14 seconds from that elusive nineteen-minute race. Perhaps with some intensive speed work in the next couple of weeks, I can pull this off before the month of May has ended.
My next assault on the summit is May 10 in a race that will take place in my own neighborhood. It's a point of pride to defend one's own turf. Plus, Mrs. AJMac will be racing, and I can't let her beat me.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Improvement
I raced in the local time trials again Wednesday evening. Still couldn't catch the guys on the time trial bikes, but I improved my time and got a good speedwork in. The lungs, they burn!
My line:
My line:
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Post-du training stats
No rest for the (slow and) weary. My next target race is a 5k on May 10 and I am determined to get within striking distance of 19 minutes, at least below 19:30. I'll be d----d if CGB or Notsoflash is going to beat me to 18:59.
The weekly recitation of self-inflicted, irrational, sadistic, arduous, emotionally-unbalanced training sessions follows, so that the guys can hold me accountable. Or so that I can read this a year from now and wonder, "What the @&#$% was I thinking?"
Sunday: stopped to whistle
Monday: run 5m recovery
Wednesday AM: run intervals, 8 x 400 meters (87 sec. ave.), 300 (recoveries)
Wednesday PM: time trial on the bike
Thursday: run 5m
Friday: run intervals, 12 x 400 (88 sec.), 300
Saturday: ride 40m
The weekly recitation of self-inflicted, irrational, sadistic, arduous, emotionally-unbalanced training sessions follows, so that the guys can hold me accountable. Or so that I can read this a year from now and wonder, "What the @&#$% was I thinking?"
Sunday: stopped to whistle
Monday: run 5m recovery
Wednesday AM: run intervals, 8 x 400 meters (87 sec. ave.), 300 (recoveries)
Wednesday PM: time trial on the bike
Thursday: run 5m
Friday: run intervals, 12 x 400 (88 sec.), 300
Saturday: ride 40m
Friday, April 18, 2008
Its Been a While...
Let me start by apologizing for not posting in a couple of weeks. I have been having trouble breaking 20 miles per week for the last few weeks and I was ashamed to post. There... I completely recognize that I avoided a core element of this blog - letting myself be held accountable. I will be better about posting regularly so that AJMac and NotsoflashGordon can ride me to better performance and trust that we are in this together.
This week was better:
Monday - 4 miles tempo
Tuesday - 9 miles (11 x 400 @ 6:00 pace, 6 x 100 strides)
Wednesday - didn't get out
Thursday - 8 miles (more on this below)
Friday - Cherish had surgery on her knee
Saturday and Sunday are planned out so that I can put in a 10 mile run and a 6 mile easy run. If I complete those days, then my week will total 37 miles - a vast improvement over the weeks past. This is important, because this first quarter of 2008 had just as many cookies as miles. Which is sometimes okay with me; but it is making it hard to get to race fitness... really hard... like chocolate chip oatmeal raisin hard.
For those wondering, Cherish is okay. She had arthroscopic knee surgery and is starting to feel better from the anesthesia. The recovery should be short and hopefully this will help her feel better on a daily basis. There was some tearing inside and the doctor assures me that it is all fixed. Thank you for asking.
So, yesterday, Thursday, I ran 8 miles. I meant to turn the run into a bunch of fartleks. So, I ran out 4 miles at a good stretching pace (33 minutes - not fast and dangerous for starting out, but not debilitating either). When I turned around, I started my fartleks. I basically wanted a bunch of 200 meter fartleks and soon realized that I just turned the second half into one giant 4 mile fartlek. By the end of the run, I finished the 8 miles in 59 minutes. That means that the second 4 miles took 26 minutes = 6.5 minute pace, mostly going up hill. There is still a large gap to the 18:59, but that run yesterday was promising - without being at a race fitness level, I am 38 seconds better than last years best 5K race time and only 12 seconds away from being sub 19 minutes. I feel good about approaching my PR (19:36) in several weeks and putting myself into position to make a serious leap.
Now, it is time to congratulate AJMac! What a duathalon race he put in! AJMac won his age division, demonstrated a great level of fitness, is primed for dropping his 5K pace rapidly, made us all proud and looked freaking good while doing it (did you see his photos - Oh Behave!). I think I speak for all of us when I say that he is an inspiration and a bar set high for NotsoflashGordon and I. Congratulations, AJMac! Keep up the good work... it is definitely paying off.
And now for a "thank you" to the rabid dogs chasing AJMac. Keep it up boys! Your making him go faster.
This week was better:
Monday - 4 miles tempo
Tuesday - 9 miles (11 x 400 @ 6:00 pace, 6 x 100 strides)
Wednesday - didn't get out
Thursday - 8 miles (more on this below)
Friday - Cherish had surgery on her knee
Saturday and Sunday are planned out so that I can put in a 10 mile run and a 6 mile easy run. If I complete those days, then my week will total 37 miles - a vast improvement over the weeks past. This is important, because this first quarter of 2008 had just as many cookies as miles. Which is sometimes okay with me; but it is making it hard to get to race fitness... really hard... like chocolate chip oatmeal raisin hard.
For those wondering, Cherish is okay. She had arthroscopic knee surgery and is starting to feel better from the anesthesia. The recovery should be short and hopefully this will help her feel better on a daily basis. There was some tearing inside and the doctor assures me that it is all fixed. Thank you for asking.
So, yesterday, Thursday, I ran 8 miles. I meant to turn the run into a bunch of fartleks. So, I ran out 4 miles at a good stretching pace (33 minutes - not fast and dangerous for starting out, but not debilitating either). When I turned around, I started my fartleks. I basically wanted a bunch of 200 meter fartleks and soon realized that I just turned the second half into one giant 4 mile fartlek. By the end of the run, I finished the 8 miles in 59 minutes. That means that the second 4 miles took 26 minutes = 6.5 minute pace, mostly going up hill. There is still a large gap to the 18:59, but that run yesterday was promising - without being at a race fitness level, I am 38 seconds better than last years best 5K race time and only 12 seconds away from being sub 19 minutes. I feel good about approaching my PR (19:36) in several weeks and putting myself into position to make a serious leap.
Now, it is time to congratulate AJMac! What a duathalon race he put in! AJMac won his age division, demonstrated a great level of fitness, is primed for dropping his 5K pace rapidly, made us all proud and looked freaking good while doing it (did you see his photos - Oh Behave!). I think I speak for all of us when I say that he is an inspiration and a bar set high for NotsoflashGordon and I. Congratulations, AJMac! Keep up the good work... it is definitely paying off.
And now for a "thank you" to the rabid dogs chasing AJMac. Keep it up boys! Your making him go faster.
Time trialing in 'Bama
I competed in my first time trial here in Montgomery on Wednesday evening. I had run intervals in the morning, so my legs weren't exactly fresh, but I still managed to average 23.17 mph over the 5.6 mile course. So I was pleased with myself. Until I saw the final results.
How good was the competition? My 14:30 finishing time was 13th out of 28 riders. Yes, the middle of the pack. Granted, most of the folks (not all guys, I'm ashamed to say) who beat me had time trial bikes, while I was riding my road bike with an aero bar. But still...
'Bama has cyclists. These guys are good.
Stats coming tomorrow. A preview: one duathlon, a couple of rides, and a lot of running intervals and tempos. I'm beat.
How good was the competition? My 14:30 finishing time was 13th out of 28 riders. Yes, the middle of the pack. Granted, most of the folks (not all guys, I'm ashamed to say) who beat me had time trial bikes, while I was riding my road bike with an aero bar. But still...
'Bama has cyclists. These guys are good.
Stats coming tomorrow. A preview: one duathlon, a couple of rides, and a lot of running intervals and tempos. I'm beat.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Taper week
Last week I was tapering, so the numbers are a little smaller.
Sunday: run 6m
Monday: run 4m
Wednesday: ride 30m
Thursday: run 3.5
Saturday: run 4
Pre-race, waiting in the starting chute with the rest of the Middle-Aged Guy wave:
Sunday: run 6m
Monday: run 4m
Wednesday: ride 30m
Thursday: run 3.5
Saturday: run 4
Pre-race, waiting in the starting chute with the rest of the Middle-Aged Guy wave:
Done the du
Back from the Whistlestop Duathlon. Missed my target time by one minute, six seconds. I finished in 1:31:06, which was fast enough to win my age group. Though a fussy Baby AJMac prevented me from sticking around to claim my prize, I left with one of the coolest-looking t-shirts I've ever received at a race.
The runs were slow. My 4k splits were 18:24 and 18:50. Obviously, I should have done more speed work. However, I almost made up for it on the bike, cruising along on a very hilly and slightly windy course.
Some amazing athletes there, including several pros. That storm you hear behind you on the bike course? That's a guy on a ten-pound bike with an aero helmet going 26 mph uphill using the big chain ring. He's creating his own weather systems and generating enough energy to light Memphis.
I might have come in a few seconds faster were it not for the pickup driver who ran me off the road less than a mile before the last transition. I guess he got tired of passing cyclists and I was the closest one, so he took out his frustration on me. After pushing me out of the travel lane and to a complete stop, he blocked me out, driving slowly until I rode around behind him and attempted to pass on his left, then speeding up to prevent me from doing so. Fortunately, three very helpful police officers happened to be standing nearby and put an end to madness, forcing him to stop and letting me go on my way.
Last week's stats and today's race pictures (thanks to Mrs. AJMac) forthcoming. Now it's time to turn my attention back to the 5k. Judging from my running splits today, I have a lot of speed work in my future.
Notsoflash and CGB haven't posted in a while. What's up guys?
The runs were slow. My 4k splits were 18:24 and 18:50. Obviously, I should have done more speed work. However, I almost made up for it on the bike, cruising along on a very hilly and slightly windy course.
Some amazing athletes there, including several pros. That storm you hear behind you on the bike course? That's a guy on a ten-pound bike with an aero helmet going 26 mph uphill using the big chain ring. He's creating his own weather systems and generating enough energy to light Memphis.
I might have come in a few seconds faster were it not for the pickup driver who ran me off the road less than a mile before the last transition. I guess he got tired of passing cyclists and I was the closest one, so he took out his frustration on me. After pushing me out of the travel lane and to a complete stop, he blocked me out, driving slowly until I rode around behind him and attempted to pass on his left, then speeding up to prevent me from doing so. Fortunately, three very helpful police officers happened to be standing nearby and put an end to madness, forcing him to stop and letting me go on my way.
Last week's stats and today's race pictures (thanks to Mrs. AJMac) forthcoming. Now it's time to turn my attention back to the 5k. Judging from my running splits today, I have a lot of speed work in my future.
Notsoflash and CGB haven't posted in a while. What's up guys?
Saturday, April 5, 2008
One week away
A week from tomorrow I'll be laying it on the line in Birmingham. The bike got a bath and lube today, after some interval and transition work in light rain made it a little grungy. My skin-tight, near-indecent racing suit is laid out and my Yankz! laces are in my running shoes. All I have left to do is rest up and try not to overthink things.
My stats this week follow.
Sunday: ride a very windy 32m
Monday AM: run 2.9m tempo
Monday PM: run intervals -- 6 x 700, 350
Wednesday AM: run 4.7m
Wednesday PM: run intervals -- 6 x 700, 350
Thursday: run 4m
Friday: run 5m
Saturday: ride intervals -- 5 x 1/2m, 1/2m; then straight into 4 bricks -- 4 x ride 1.2m, run 1k.
CGB and notsoflash no doubt have a major head start on me toward our ultimate goal. However, I intend to focus exlusively on the 5k after the duathlon is over next weekend.
My stats this week follow.
Sunday: ride a very windy 32m
Monday AM: run 2.9m tempo
Monday PM: run intervals -- 6 x 700, 350
Wednesday AM: run 4.7m
Wednesday PM: run intervals -- 6 x 700, 350
Thursday: run 4m
Friday: run 5m
Saturday: ride intervals -- 5 x 1/2m, 1/2m; then straight into 4 bricks -- 4 x ride 1.2m, run 1k.
CGB and notsoflash no doubt have a major head start on me toward our ultimate goal. However, I intend to focus exlusively on the 5k after the duathlon is over next weekend.
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