Reflections on last year's "big" race

This weekend is the annual Virginia Ten Miler in Lynchburg. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that there's a part of me wishing I was running it. It would do me no harm in doing it, unless I hurt myself, but I'd be missing miles I need to build for the marathon. It would give me a chance to work on speed for a longer distance, but I already have that planned in a 30K next week.

Anyway, I realized on this morning's run that it had been more than a year since my big race of 2006. Here's what I wrote on my MySpace page that day after:

"After nearly three months of intense training, it all came down to one day. I don't really have too much to say about the race right now. It's tough to put into words. I easily beat my 1:30 goal and finished the 10 miler in 1:23 finishing 150th out of 500-plus runners. To put it simply, I left it all on the course. There will be no marathon for me this year, but I don't really care about that right now. My goal at the beginning of this year was to do the 10 miler and I did it. Depending on the condition of my knee, a marathon may never happen. I'm not giving up hope, but I'm not going to be stupid and hurt myself for the rest of my life either. For now, I'm enjoying some off time from running, eating whatever I want for a couple of days and being thrilled at the accomplishment of running 10 miles in the time that I did."

Oddly enough, I didn't write about running again until early November when I finally broke 8 minutes a mile in a race. A lot has changed since September 2006, and a lot will continue to change in the coming weeks. Just wait until I tell you about my tempo run I had this morning ...

15

Yesterday's 15-mile run went very well overall, but I still have some learning to do with long runs. Saturday's weather was perfect for a long run - low humidity and temperatures in the 60s. Thank you Mother Nature! I learned my lessons from the week before and incorporated a water stop about 5 miles in to refill my half empty bottles and to take in a few more ounces. I also took some Powerbar gel that actually was pretty good. But about 6 miles later I was really in the need for some more gel. Fluid wise, I was OK, but I once again struggled near the end. It was much better, though, than last week's 14-mile debacle.

I'm not really too worried about time yet, but my overall pace was just over 9 minutes a mile. I'm very pleased with that considering I still have two-plus months of training to go. It makes my four-hour "reasonable" goal extremely realistic. I still have some worked to do to achieve 3 hours, 30 minutes, which is what I really want.

My legs handled yesterday's run very well. They were a bit sluggish by the end of the day, but that was partly because I had to continue packing in the afternoon, so there wasn't much resting going on after the run.

As for the week ahead, life is going to be hectic. It's a built-in recovery week anyway, so I'm not overly concerned about missing my long run. My main goal is to run more than 20 miles - anything over will be bonus. Moving day next weekend will provide some excellent cross training in place of a long run.

Lastly, here's an update on my 2007 mileage:
August - 109.6
Year to date - 625.3

14 miles, and in need of a change of tunes

I have mixed feelings about being in that "longest run ever" portion of my marathon training, at least when the weather is like it is. My 14-mile run today was OK ... this heat and humidity on the other hand are tough to deal with. I ran on the shaded, relatively flat Blackwater Creek Trail today, mixing in two miles on two different hilly extensions of it. The first 10 miles were the best; the next three I could feel the heat of the morning kicking in; and the last mile felt nearly worthless, but I was also going beyond anything what my body had ever done before, with a nice layer of humidity on top.

I learned some good lessons today - it's nice to have a route that includes good spots for a pee break; I need to take an energy gel with me; 7 a.m. for a long run is about an hour too late when the heat and humidity are this high; and it's time to reshuffle my iPod shuffle.

It was nice to cross that half marathon barrier despite the weather. Today's run helps put the Richmond Marathon into better perspective and what it may be like. I know there's a long way to go and many more longer runs than 14 miles, but mentally this helps me see the challenges ahead of me. From here on out, it's all about taking my body to places it's never been before, and my mind needs to tag along for the journey.

I swear, I wasn't racing

What a great day to run - morning temperatures in the 60s, relatively low humidity. You couldn't ask for better weather in mid-August to go for a long run, or attend a race that I wasn't going to run hard.

My goal for today's Lynchburg Half Marathon was to finish around what I did last year - 1:55.19, an 8:49 pace. I've already written about this being an excellent training run - go out with ease and not push myself too much. But a lot has changed in a year and I realize that even more today. My time today was 1:46.53, an 8:10 pace. I didn't feel like I went out and ran it hard - I just did what felt comfortable. And "comfortable" has a different meaning in 2007 than in 2006. As a bonus, I hooked up about 3 miles in with a guy I went to high school with, and we talked quite a bit for about 5 miles after that. Then, without saying anything, we just sort of alternated who was in front of the other. And all this time I really didn't feel like I was pushing myself too hard. Our mile times got better as we went along and hit about a 7:30 pace the last 5K. (My actual mileage times were: 8:34, 8:45, 8:25, 8:30, 8:24, 8:22, 8:10, 8:26, 8:21, 7:53, 7:37, 7:36, and 7:46 for the last 1.1) The course was relatively flat with some hidden inclines along the way.

A year ago when I finished this race, I felt beat up and questioned why I ran so long when I was only training for a 10 miler that was more than a month away. It was the beginning of my knee problems. Today, though, I actually did a cool down jog about a quarter mile to my car so I could get into dry clothes. And, now, 4 hours later, my legs feel great.

I feel great about going out there and beating last year's time by nearly 9 minutes, and finishing less than 3 minutes from my PR at the Shamrock Half Marathon in March. But my point in running today's race was to get in a solid training run for the Richmond Marathon, and I did that. The rest of my week didn't go as planned at all, but I'll take ending the week like this.

And lastly, I must give a shout out to two of my soon-to-be former co-workers. There was also a 5K as part of today's race, which they ran. Jill finished third in her age group and a minute and a half faster than last year's race. And Sarah ran her first Lynchburg road race and didn't finish DFL. Good job to you both. I'd like to give a shout out to my wife as well. She volunteered today handing out water.

13.1

Even though I've hit double digits in two of the past three weeks for my long runs, there's something special about the teens. I've often been told if you can do a half marathon, you can do a full. While tomorrow's Lynchburg Half Marathon is being treated as a training run and not a race (yes, I keep telling myself that), I'll be hitting that mark of "longest run ever."

Doing a half marathon now at a slightly faster than usual pace feels right as I transition into distances I've never done before. And it'll keep my confidence boosted as I change cities. This could very well be my last long run in Lynchburg, Va., unless I do the 10 miler in future years. So this run will be a farewell of sorts to the Blackwater Creek Bikepath. Although I don't run on it much, I'll miss it ... but I know Richmond is going to have so much more to offer.

Here's to wishing myself luck in my non-race half marathon. And I'll continue to swear I'm not shooting for a PR.

Anyone can run a mile

And I believe my title even more after this morning. My wife, who had never ran more than three quarters of a mile without stopping, didn't finish last as she had feared, and ran the Academy Mile in 10:36. In the brief training for this race, she had been doing between a quarter and half mile in about a 12-minute pace. A fellow co-worker of mine who smokes and showed up his roommate by actually getting up and going to this race, finished with his girlfriend in 10:32. (His roommate, also a co-worker, didn't show up because, as he said yesterday, it was a rare chance to sleep in.) And another co-worker of mine, who runs quite often but often says she's so slow, finished in 8:18.

Like my title says, anyone can run a mile ... unless you choose not to.

I finished in a time of 6:26, 45 seconds faster than last year. If my abs weren't sore from yesterday's workout, I probably could've been a little faster. The weather was absolutely perfect. Temps in the low to mid-70s, cloudy skies and a light breeze -- I questioned whether today was actually July 4.

Happy Fourth everybody!

First race of the summer season

In the nearly three years that I've been running races, I can't really say that I've been disappointed at my results. There was one race in the fall of 2005 that was my worst ever, but that was all my fault, and I knew it. I had, simply enough, let myself get out of shape too much. And what a difference a year can make. A year ago at this time, my longest race had been four miles. In the past year, I've done considerably longer races including a five miler, a 10K, the Virginia Ten Miler and two half marathons. I've survived knee problems, ankle pain and many other things that just got in the way. Through various training, I've gotten my 5K pace under 8 minutes a mile (7:44 pace) and even did my second half marathon in an 8-minute mile pace. But then came yesterday ... the first race of the season.

Yesterday I ran in a 10K that started in downtown Lynchburg, went up Rivermont to Riverside Drive and turned around. (Click here for results.) Overall, it's hard to say I was disappointed because my pace was right at 8 minutes a mile (49:49 overall), but it's the feeling afterward that let me know I could've ran harder. When running a race, there's this awesome pain to feel after it's over - like you just can't walk. Even though I was worn out and out of breath, I didn't get that race pain yesterday. I had too much energy afterward that I could've used on the course. I've had this happen before, and I'm glad that it's happening now and not five months from now. I'm also trying to get used to distances behind 5Ks. It's an odd feeling to have. I know in a 5K how hard I can push myself - I've now run enough to know what to do. And I still have some work to do at that distance because I'd love to break the 23-minute mark. This also was only my second 10K I've ever done. In a round about way, it's nice to know I could've ran harder - it'll make the next race all the more better. And that feeling I had yesterday following the race is one that keeps me motivated and makes me look forward even more to running my first marathon.

Please leave any questions, comments or suggestions for me. Also, if you're a runner and want me to add your blog, I'm planning to add some links to the side soon of blogs I read. So please let me know what your site is.

Endless possibilities at Lynchburg College

One of my favorite places to run is at my alma mater - Lynchburg College. It's easily to log several miles on the campus by running on the roads within the school, running along College Drive behind the school and running on the many sidewalks within the Dell. And there's also the renovated track at Shellenberger Field where you can throw a few laps down. In the early morning before the students rise, or during the summer months when many students are away, it's a very peaceful place to run. Even when the students are there it's a great place to go, but you just have to be more aware of the traffic.

It's also a very challenging place to run. There's really nowhere flat, so be prepared to do battle with the hills. (I guess this is true of just about everywhere in Lynchburg!) Another nice thing about running there is the endless routes. I've rarely done the same route twice.

A one-mile secret

Of all the parks in Lynchburg, one that people often forget about visiting is Riverside Park off Rivermont Avenue. And it's a perfect place to run a hilly mile or two.

You'll want to start your run at the entrance, then take a left where cars aren't allowed toward the old train. Just keep following the path past the train, around the corner, up the tough hill, then past the packet boat, around another curve, onto the gravel portion, then a right at the end of the gravel, then left toward Rivermont. When you hit Rivermont, take a right back to the main entrance. (It makes much more sense when you actually see it vs. what I just wrote.) Total distance: exactly a mile. (Turning around and going the opposite way makes for an excellent two-mile workout.) This is one of the harder miles in Lynchburg and is a key portion of the Virginia Ten Miler.

New to running in Lynchburg?

If you're one of those people who say there's nothing to do in Lynchburg, then you probably haven't tried running ... or walking for that matter. Lynchburg is full of running/walking opportunities if you're looking to get outdoors. This, I hope, will be the first in some sort of series of places to walk or run if you're looking to get off the couch and on your feet.

First and foremost in Lynchburg is the Blackwater Creek Bikeway, and the trails that branch off it. I sometimes get a little bored with the paved part, but it's perfect if you're first starting. When I first started running, I found two miles to be a good start. And with the bike path having quarter mile markers, it's easy to keep up with your distance. If you're unfamiliar with the trail system, I recommend starting at the Ed Page Entrance just off Langhorne Road. You'll quickly think you've traveled outside of Lynchburg about a quarter mile in - there's no signs of city life at all. And that first mile is relatively flat. If you get tired of that view, there's another parking lot near the 1-mile marker on East Randolph Place. Look for signs on Rivermont Avenue.

From that entrance you can go a mile to the 2-mile marker where the trail splits three different ways. This is a good place to go if you're looking to go beyond 2 miles. Take a sharp right to go up the new Kemper Street Extension. This is basically one long hill and offers a challenge to any level runner. But it's a pretty cool route, offering a view of Lynchburg you've never seen before. If you take the left path, basically going straight at the 2-mile marker, you'll run alongside Blackwater Creek to another parking lot off Hollins Mill Road. If you take the middle path, you'll go through the tunnel. When it's hot outside, it's always cool in there. No matter which way you go, you'll still find it hard to believe you're in Lynchburg.

You can also access the bike path downtown near Amazement Square. If you're looking at the side of Amazement Square, you'll want to head toward the left. This puts you near the 3-mile marker of the bike path and you'll have two routes to choose from. Stay straight and you'll head toward the tunnel; head right and you'll go alongside the creek. That portion is actually called the Point of Honor Trail, which gives you access to Point of Honor.

Of course there's much more to Lynchburg's trail system than this, so stay tuned for more. If you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or want to offer other runs, please leave a comment.