The Long Run (from the best)

Remember that post I did a few weeks back about what a 140mpw looks like and how it would take someone who runs 10min/mi over 20 hours a week to run that far? Well the same principle should be considered during the weekly long run, and here is the breakdown on this topic from Coach Jack Daniels PhD. Makes a lot of sense to me. An elite marathon runner would almost NEVER go out for a 4+ hour training run so why should the beginner?

Watch more video of Saucony Thirsty Thursdays with Jack Daniels on flotrack.org

Run, Forrest, Run!

"Now you wouldn’t believe it if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was goin’ somewhere, I…was…runnin’!"

Run, Forrest, Run!
Forrest Gump at MOVIECLIPS.com

Newhall Independence Day 5k (20:29)

Today was the 29th annual Newhall Independence Day 5k. This well established race draws about 500 runners every year. This was my 4th consecutive year running the event. Since I have not been running I decided to play it conservative. I found Dale and Lauren at the starting line and Lauren was talking about a PR so I decided to try and pull her along with me. Our first mile was 6:40 and Lauren was right with me. We made it to the turn around and I started to pull away. By my watch I hit the two mile mark at 13:46. My last mile was 6:20. I finished in 20:29, a nice tempo run for the week. I was pleased until I realized that that time was my marathon pace at CIM! I've got to get back in shape!
Lauren did PR 21:13. Clay's daughter Kendall also PR'd in 23:20. The weather was very warm, ok it was hot! It is always a fun time with free Jamba Juice afterward at a nice park. It just takes them forever to call the awards!

Birthday run

Today was my 32nd birthday. Two years ago I ran 30 miles for my 30th birthday. Last year I ran 3.1 for my 31st birthday. This year I met Chuck at Ave S. and the aqueduct at 5:45am. He had already run 5 miles. We ran 5 together and then met Dale and Lauren for another 5! So I ran 10. Chuck suggested I should have run 3200m (just short of 2 miles) for my 32nd birthday. It was a good idea except I think we had already run 3 or 4 miles, so we just kept going. It was a great birthday run. The miles flew buy while we all chatted. It seems like everyone is finally coming around after some nagging aches and pains that needed a little rest. My legs felt great but I am tired tonight.

Coaching

I have started my coaching career this past month. It is an online coaching service at www.cuttingedgerunning.com. The website is constantly evolving as I learn web design. I am doing the website editing myself so it will take some time, but please keep checking back regularly. I see some great potential with the services that I am offering, and hope to help many runners reach their goals.

USATF Championships Day 4

I watched the final day of the track and field championships today with my boys. They really liked watching the races. Both the men's and women's 800m were great, and produced some fast times. Veterans Nick Symmonds and Khadevis Robinson went 1-2 in the men's 800m using great race tactics. Both should do very well at the World Championships later this summer. After the events were over we went into the backyard and practiced our long jumps.

USATF Championships Day 3

All the races today played out as expected, except the 1500m. Both men's and women's races were crazy and completely different. The women started out with Christin Wurth pushing the pace making sure it was an honest race. Unfortunately she went out like it was an 800m and no one went with her. She went through the 400m split in 62 seconds, which is nearly world record pace. She had created a huge gap between herself and the rest of the field which was still moving pretty quick. She looked great for 1350m and may have run away with it if she had gone out in 64 instead of 62. They started to gain on Wurth with 300m to go and caught her on the home stretch. She was passed by Uceny, then Simpson, and Rowbury at the line. I thought Wurth was going to collapse with 50m to go as her legs looked wobbly. The top three women could all make the final at World Champs. I picked the winner (Uceny) but was wrong on Pierce and off by a place with Wurth. Watch the race here.

The men's 1500m was a mess. It was awful to watch. Nobody wanted to lead. No one wanted to break the wind or let others sit on them, and everyone seemed to be willing to let Lagat dictate the race. He went to the lead and then slowed the pace dramatically. The men's first lap was 66 (4 seconds slower than the women). There was bumping and shoving, and multiple times were people almost went down. Then they all started to kick playing into Lagat's perfect senario. All my picks were within a few steps of each other in the last 30m. And after a few late surges it ended up 1. Centrowitz, 2. Lagat, 3. Manzano, 4. Wheating. The reason #4 was important was because Lagat knew he wouldn't be running the 1500m at Worlds and 4th would move into 3rd. Some people (Leer who ended up 5th) took offense to Lagat's strategy, but who can blame him for wanting two win to events at USA's. Unfortunately, he turned what could have been a very fast and competitive race with one of the most stacked fields in US history, into "who can run the fastest 200m surrounded by other runners without falling down." I picked Lagat to win but not in that fashion. He was beat in the last 20-30m by NCAA champ Matt Centrowitz and Leo Manzano snuck into 3rd with a late kick. I thought Wheating would have more but he ended up 4th. Torrence was 6th (my pick for 3rd). Unfortunately, of the three runners that may be in the 1500m for the US, I think Wheating has the only shot at making the final. I hope I am wrong.