UPS Ultimate 5k

I had originally signed up for the UPS Ultimate 10k, however after a lot of running and walking all over Boston I decided to do the 5k. I was even considering walking most of that. I did not let myself down. I walked about 2 of the 3 miles to finish in 42:28. I started way in the back and took it easy. I set my watch for a 2min run, 1min walk interval then abandoned that after a mile. I just ran when I felt like it and walked when I needed to.

My friend Bill ran too and he finished with his best 5k, 29:30. His wife was there at the finish line with him when I arrived. After I looked at the photo below I again was reminded how we are dressed alike. We didn't plan that. We just both knew it was going to be really hot. At 8am, the start time, it was 86* with over 60% humidty. I'm glad that I ran with my Camelbak water bottle since they only had one water stop after mile 2.


I knew that I would still be recovering from Thursdays run in Boston. I didn't realize how much though. The arch of my left foot hurt which tells mr that my tendon was or still is inflamed. It seems that whenever I go over 5-6 miles that it gets that way. I can run 2-3 miles almost every day but pushing past 40 or so minutes I guess is too much. Plus my regular routine has been to run, ice, and elevate my feet after every run. I wasn't able to do this in Boston while running downtown. I did ice both feet once I got back to the hotel but that was after 6mi running and 8mi walking.

This Friday, July 3, is the St Jude Firecracker 5k. I hope to be well enough to run nonstop. No times, no goals, just finish without walking would be nice.


There was a band playing some folksy type music at the end of the race. Their name was Social Remedy. They have a myspace page that I need to check out.


This is one of the age group medals. I like the UPS brown.


This is one of the overall winners trophies. This one went to the overall male winner.

Time to slow back a bit

I've ran several 5ks every week for a few weeks and ran my first
speedwork workout yesterday in Raleigh-Durham.

The speedwork was a warmup, 3x800m with 400m jogs and then a cooldown.
I felt great throughout. Today is a different story. I have had a
little bit of pain on and around my left inside ankle. This doesn't
feel like the same pain associated with my tendinitis. I am supposed
to run an easy 2 miles tonight, again in Raleigh but I think that I'm
gonna skip the run. Maybe go out for a 1 mile walk to stretch my legs
and if I feel like more I'll walk a bit more.

Once I start feeling good with my runs I want to run farther and
farther, usually too soon after an injury. It's very, very hard to not
run. Even though I want to run nearly every day, but my body says
"Whoa, I don't think so."

Guess I have to start listening to my body and stop listening to what
my brain wants to do.

Gibson Guitar 5k

Bill and Nancy picked me up and we rode downtown to the Gibson Guitar 5k. Bill works for MLGW so we were able to park in their employee lot, which was right next to the start/finish line. We arrive around 6:15p and wandered around a bit checking out the course and noticing that they changed it a bit from what the website had said. My attempts to figure out my pace at .5, 1.5 and 2.5 was out the window. At 6:45p I went off by myself for a slow 2/1 warmup. I arrived at the start line near Beale and Second streets at 6:58p so I think that I timed it pretty well. I had just enough time to do a few light stretches since my muscles were a little warmed up.

The race started promptly at 7pm and off we went running, in 90 deg temps. It took me about 40-45 secs to reach the start line in front of BB Kings Blues Club. I started my timer just I ran past the start line. We ran down Beale heading east, which is sort of a downhill start. It was very crowded and I could hardly move and just had to go with the flow, which was a bit slower than I wanted, but there was nothing I could do. I looked down the field and noticed folks already turning south onto fourth street. There were a lot more people than I expected.

After turning onto fourth the crowd thinned out a bit and I able to pick up the pace to where I thought I should be. I finally saw my friend Bill in front of me a few hundred feet before we crossed the 1 mile marker. I must've picked up the pace more than I expected because I passed 1 mile at 8:59. Immediately I thought to myself "I need to slow down". I slowed a bit then came up alongside Bill. He asked me "Where's my beer?" I said, "Where's mine?" He replied, "I drank it. I didn't want it to spill."

We ran over to Georgia street then turned West/Northwest onto Riverside which started a nice long downhill. I thought it would be one of the easier spots of the race but actually it seemed to be the hardest. I hadn't reached mile 2 yet and was starting to feel some pain in my Tibialis Anterior muscles on both my left and right legs. I usually start to feel this when I run at a pace that I have not been training, which I need to start doing some speedwork to work on these. Also, it was around 7:18p and the sun was blaring down on us from the east, which made it even hotter. I passed mile two at a pace of 9:36. I had walked 3 times for 30 secs each to ease my muscle pain so I was happy with the time. I thought that if I kept that up for the third mile or even a little slower I should still make my goal of crossing the finish under 30 minutes.

From Riverside we turned east onto Beale street and up the steepest, but shortest hill of the course. Right at the corner of Riverside and Beale was Nancy cheering us on. I waved and said "Hey!" Later she told me that I was the only person that didn't seem to be working hard and had a smile on their face. I told her it's because I saw and familiar face and appreciated the cheers, and that I knew that I was close to the finish.

At the top of the steep hill, on Beale, we passed the Memphis Orpheum Theatre. From there it was all downhill. I passed mile 3 at 9:41 for a total of 28:16. I wanted to fall down almost and lay there in the grass for an hour but I pushed with everything that I had. I knew that by my time I was going to be under 30 minutes, but now I wanted to get under 30 according to their "official" timer.

I passed the big red rooster and was on the final sprint towards the finish. I don't even remember what the "official" clock said my time was but I stopped my timer as I passed the finish line for a total time of 29:02. I was under 30 on the "official" but will have to wait and see in the results what the secs were. I went over and filled out my finisher's card (an index card with your name and age on it) and put it in the 35-39 age group. It was very crowded around there as I looked for water, as was everyone else. There was only one water table set up with two water bottles near the finish. This was no way near enough for over 1,500 runners. Very poorly coordinated in that regard. I never stop and get water at any of the water stops during a 5k but I was disapointed that there was only one stop at mile 2. Lots of people were complaining about this.

After I found Bill we went to find Nancy. We found Bill's Mom and Dad and Nancy then found us. She had a water for each of us, which meant that she must've had to have stand in that very long line to get water at the finish. She also stood in line to get us all a snowcone. I made the comment that Nancy was an awesome support crew and we need to bring her to all the races. I was joking of course but I am very appreciative of her helping us. Plus she drove us down there!

It was a fun race becuase it started and ended near Beale and Second and running or biking downtown is always fun. It was a big, hot, sweatfest and even with the heat I think that most people enjoyed the atmosphere. We didn't hang out very long. Around sunset we left and went home.

To the left is a picture of the winner's medals. The big one's were made from guitar necks. Pretty cool.

Race against myself

I ran 5 miles yesterday at the Bert Fergusen park trail, here in
Cordova. I like that trail because it's marked at exactly one mile. I
did a tempo run and did pretty good I think. I certainly felt good
while running. I ran a 12:17 first mile to warmup using a 2/1 run/
walk. I ran the first mile of the tempo at 10:52 without walking. I
thought that I could do better than that and pushed a little bit to do
the second mile in 9:30. I always strive for negative splits with my
5ks and pushed even harder for mile three. I had to walk three times
during the third mile, which I kept to only 30 seconds each and still
finished it in 9:11. I then did a cool down mile in 12:30.

My routine has been to ice my feet afterwards followed by elevating
them. My feet didn't feel swollen or were hurting but I iced them
anyway.

I feel pretty good about the Gibson Guitar 5k on Saturday. It should
be a good crowd and looks like a challenging course around South
Downtown Memphis. Mile 2.75-3 are up Beale St from the river so that
should be fun. Even with the hills I'm going to once again try to run
the 5k in 30 minutes or less.

In the past when I'd tell people that I race mountain bikes, or road
bikes or now participate in road running races that I'm not
competitive and don't do it to beat other people. I now realize that I
am competitive, against myself. If I can meet or exceed my times on a
bike or while running I'm a happy person. I like seeing my times and
distances get further and further.

I guess that's why I've been working towards completing a marathon.
I've done a half marathon, St Jude 2007. I've ridden my bike on
several centuries (100 miles) and more.

What will await me after the marathon?

Recovery Days

Last Friday was the Harbortown 5k and I was very happy to run less
than a 30 minutes 5k again. Saturday I took off as a recovery day.
Sunday I went for a mountain bike ride with my friend, Bill. After a
lap of the TDW we did a nice easy loop of the Wolf River Trails and
then found a 'shortcut' back home for a total of almost 23 miles.

It had been a while since I'd ridden 20+ miles so my Monday morning
easy 3 mile running turned into a very tough 2.5. I probably need to
take it a wee bit easier on my 'recovery' days.

I do feel like my leg muscle recovery tool, "The Stick" has helped and
will continue to help even more as I started running longer distances.
I bought the travel version so I can just throw it in my suitcase and
take it with me to work.

I felt like running today so I mapped out a pretty flat, easy 3 mile
route near our hotel in Indianapolis. I did a 2/1 run/walk for
36mins18secs at an average of 12:06. I was shooting for 12:30 per mile
so I'm glad that I felt ok to do a 12:06avg.

I also just finished an ice foot bath, which I've been doing for both
feet after every run. After a while I'll go jump into the hot tub for
a while then try to get to bed early. Ah, the perks of staying at
hotels with a pool and hot tub. Gotta get up at 4am though, blah!

Harbortown 5k and Family Fun 1k

Stacie, Piper and I went downtown to the HarborTown 5k. They had a Family Fun 1k and since Stacie bought Piper some new runnin' clothes she was excited to get dressed up and run. We got dressed at home and were ready to go as soon as we got out of the car.

This is one of only two times that Piper ran. This was running to the starting line.

Here we are waiting at the start line.

Here we are rounding the corner at .5mile.

Our official finish time. Not too bad considering we only ran about 100 feet and the fact that Piper is 3 years old.

After the 1k Stacie and Piper went down to the Greenbelt Park, on the Mississippi River bank to play and relax while I did the 5k. I tried to meet up with my friend Bill but that just didn't happen, too big of a crowd. The 5k started pretty close to 7pm, the official start time, so I was happy about that. I hate it when they're 10 or more minutes late starting. I set my watch intervals to 5min run - 1min walk. I had worked up in my latest runs to 3-1 and I figured being a race and all I would try to push myself. Well the course it almost completely flat except a few little 100 foot bridges throughout the neighborhood. At 5 mins my watch beeped and I kept going. I thought that if I could make it to the first mile and didn't feel like I needed to take a walk break then I would press on and try to finish with out taking a walk break. At the first mile I crossed it at 9:52. Way faster that I was shooting for. Everyone in the crowd was in a good mood and the atmosphere of the spectators contributed to me pushing so hard. I was feeling good and had no leg or foot pains so I continued to push and see if I could maintain the pace. Crossing mile 2 I had done a 9:36 mile at 19:28 total. I was actually thinking at this point I might be able to get an under 30 min 5k again. I hadn't done that in a while so I continued to push. I think I began pushing a little too hard as my shins starting to hurt. That usually happens when I run a bit faster than 've trained.

I finally saw my friend Bill after passing mile 2. I came up along beside him and tapped him on the shoulder. He was listening to his ipod. He looked at me and said, "PB under 30". He was working towards the same goal that I was, however he hasn't ran a 5k under 30 minutes in a long time. I started to pull away from Bill, I think it was the competitive spirit in me to do so. My shins really started to hurt so I had to slow down and take a walk break. Bill came up along beside me and told me to start running again. I couldn't let my friend pass me so I did. I ran along him for a bit and he told me, "You're my carrot. You can't walk now." That was my motivation to push harder. After mile 3 I was at 28:50 total time at a 9:21 mile pace. I really started to sprint then. I rounded the corner and saw the clock, it read 29:40. I was still a few hundred feet from the finish line so I sprinted with all I had to cross under 30 mins according to their clock. Unfortunately I to come to a dead stop 30 feet from the finish line because the finish line was blocked since they made everyone stop and fill out the little index cards with your name on it. I crossed the actual finish time sometime after 31 mins. I didn' really pay attention to it any more. I had stopped my watch at 29:43 since that's the time that I would have crossed the finish line. So....29:43 was my 5k time. Bill was shortly behind me. He finished at 30:12. So close.

It was fun to run in a big group again and have a large spectator crowd. Afterwards, I went to find Stacie and Piper building Fairy Houses of of twigs, glass, rocks and leaves down by the Mississippi River. I got some ice out of the cooler and iced up my left ankle/arch. I also took some Hammer Nutrition Tissue Rejeuvenator to help with any swelling that my have occured. Besides my shins, which are still a bit sore, my legs felt great.

After the race Piper and I changed clothes and we all went out to eat at the Kooky Canuck.

When we got home last night I massaged my leg muscles with 'The Stick'. A wonderful muscle massaging tool. I highly recommend getting one if you exercise a lot and push yourself to the point of having sore muscles. It really helps getting blood flow to the muscles, which aid in the recovery process.

I felt like running more

The 13 week half marathon plan I developed called for a 2 mile easy
run at 12:52 per mile on Monday. I had an 18 hour layover in
Bentonville, AR. We stay at a nice Wingate Inn, right off the airport
property, which has an indoor pool and hottub. I've mapped out several
running routes there and modified the 4 mile route and made it a 3.5
mile with a 1 mile warmup and 3/4 mile cool down.

I wore my ankle support for the first time while running and I think
it helped a bit. I'm going to continue to use it as my runs get longer
and faster I'm hoping that it will give my ankle just a bit more
support to let my posterior tendon completely heal.

The first mile was on a nice wide road with a few rolling hills. I
arrived at mile one right at 12:30. The second mile was on a dirt/
gravel road. The third mile was on a skinny two lane road and the
last .5 was on a wide road. I really like running around there. I very
rarely see any cars and sometimes run in the middle of the left hand
lane. Since the asphalt slants down on the outside my left foot wants
to slide outward when I step.

I did a 2min run, 1min walk and I felt fine. I believe that I'll soon
be able to pick up the pace a little. However, before I do that I'm
going to start a 3min run, 1min walk on my next run.

I ended up at 3 miles with a time of 43:44 which was right on pace for
an expected 12:30 pace.