Leona Divide 30k!

I had the opportunity to run with race director and recent Angeles Crest 100 winner, Keira Henninger, this morning. She directed her first race this year at my first ultra, Leona Divide 50. Since then she started the Los Pinos 50k, and most recently is planning a new multi-race day next October called Leona Valley Trail Races. The tentative date is October 8th. When I heard about her plans I contacted her offering help with the courses and race planning. She emailed me right back and asked if I was available to map out, measure, and run the new Leona Divide 30k this weekend. I jumped on the offer.

We met at the Lake Hughes Community Center at 7am and after discussing the course headed up the mountain. She was not as familiar with the roads and trails east of Lake Hughes Road, so I got to play tour guide as we went along. It was a blast! I hadn't been out there since LD50 and almost forgot how fun it is running out there. We met Clay and his dog Aurora, as we were just starting out on the PCT. We ran all the way down to Lake Hughes Road, turned around, and then made it back to the Community Center.

Keira is planning on four distances to choose from for the Leona Valley Trail Races. There will be 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon distances. We discussed each race course as we continued on the 30k course. I hadn't run farther than 10 miles at a time in the past 2 months so I was a little concerned, but we took it pretty easy and stopped at intersections to discuss course options. Keira is going to be racing and race directing full time from now on. I would recommend any of her races based on my experiences at LD50. She will be working hard on the two races in Leona Valley next year, so I hope to do some more trail running and race planning with her in the future. Thanks Keira!

My calf felt great the entire 18 miles today, and is no more tired or tight than any of my other runs this week. We'll see how it feels tomorrow.


Race Results from today:
Tom and Dan Ham finished the Portland Marathon in a water logged 3:58. Congrats to Tom on finishing his first marathon!

No world records today at Chicago. It was too hot. Temps in the 70s and highs in the 80s slowed Sammy Wanjiru to a 2:06!
The fastest American male was Jason Hartmann in 2:11, and fastest female was Desire Davilla in a PR of 2:26 with Magdalena close behind in 2:28. Not bad in the heat. The most impressive American was Joan Benoit Samuelson, who at the age of 52 ran a 2:47! On a cooler day she would have qualified for the Olympic Trials (missed it by a minute).

9 miles fartlek style

I have been feeling pretty good this week and taking advantage but trying not to over do it. The temps were in the low 50s when I left the house and set out to run the "Rancho Vista Loop." It is 7.5 miles but I tacked on some extra at the end and finished with 9 miles. I was running a fartlek style run which means "speed play" in Swedish. I would pick up the pace for a while, then ease off, then pick it up again, not for any set time just when I felt good. Funny, the miles splits afterward ended up being pretty even and it looks like a tempo run on paper. Splits were 8:21, 7:32, 7:03, 7:23, 7:05, 7:11, 7:15, 6:57, 7:04. Total time was 66 minutes for 9 miles or 7:20 average pace. I was running 6:40 pace on some of the "hard" segments.

I have a long trail run planned for tomorrow. I am running the new Leona Divide 30k course with race director Keira Henninger. This is one of those do as I say, not as I do, as it will be a big jump in long run mileage (an on the trails to boot), but it was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up. I hope the calf holds up.

Good luck to Tom and Dan Ham running the Portland Marathon tomorrow! I think they are guarenteed rain but hey it is Portland, right? Can't wait to hear all about it.

Chicago Marathon is also tomorrow. They have an incredible field assembled for the men and women. Make sure to check it out. Joan Benoit Samuelson is also running with the goal of running her third sub 2:50 since turning 50! I even read one article that said she might try and run a Olympic Trials qualifier (the B standard is 2:46).

Bizz Johnson Marathon is a trail marathon in northern California is also tomorrow and is on my list of races that I would like to do some day. It looks like a beautiful course (and all downhill!). Actually all three of these races are on my "to do list."

8 mile morning run

It was a little windy this morning, it is also colder in the morning (high 40s). This gave me an excuse to use my arm warmers and skull cap. I probably didn't need either one but it kept me warm for the first few miles. The other reason for the skull cap is to hold my ear buds in my ears. I guess I have misshapened ears because I have never found a pair that actually stays in my ears. So during the summer I rarely run with music. Today I did, and the cap goes over my ears and holds the ear buds tightly in place. Does anyone else have this problem?

Well I had a good run. I ran away from the wind toward Ave K. It is usually less windy past Ave M, but all downhill so I then turned around and ran back uphill to my house. I added another short hill closer to my house and my calf felt about 90%! I finished the 8 miles in 61 minutes exactly! The second half was faster than the first even though I was running uphill! I was feeling stronger after each mile today.


Ave you ever run an inagural marathon? It is kind of cool to say you ran the first race like, "I ran the first LA Marathon." I didn't really, I would have been 6 years old for the first one! Well, they had the inagural Camarillo Marathon this weekend and I guess it didn't go so well. They ran into quite a few problems. Check out the write up in the Ventura County Star.

Also don't forget to check out Thirsty Thursdays with Jack Daniels this week.

Finally, check out this interview with Peter Gilmore and Magdalena Lewy-Boulet on running nutrition (pre-workout, pre-race, carb loading, marathon fueling, and post run recovery).

3 in the rain, 2 on the treadmill

Not because of the rain but because Andi works on Wednesday so I have to be back at the house by 6:40. I didn't wake up til 5:50 so I jetted out the door and did 3 miles on the road. It was sprinkling rain and no wind, a very pleasant run (wish I could have been out there longer). My right leg held up well to the hills around my house. It still gets tight later in the day. I got home before Andi left and hopped on the treadmill for another 2 miles. The boys came in and watched me run. "Daddy you are running fast!"



Another great post by Coach Vern Gambetta.

Being the Best – Take Action Now
Here are some thoughts I put together for a team I was working with. In bold are the qualities with an explanation, but those are just qualities. Underneath each item you see the word action. I asked each team member to write out the action they were going to take to achieve the desired end result. Over the years I have learned it is too easy to set goals or to talk about being the best, unless those goals are followed up by specific actions it just is a very temporary feel good process. Each individual needs to take control and decide on the they action they will take. They must establish ownership. Do not recommend or assign an action for them.
Be Smart - Work on something specific each day. Have a plan! Train with a purpose. Improvement is incremental. Does not have to be big. Small steps lead to big steps.
ACTION:

Pressure is what you make it! Embrace it. Put yourself in pressure situations to learn. Use the pressure to make you better, internalize it and use it as a positive influence.
ACTION:

Belief – If you don’t believe in yourself who will? Think you are the best and you are on your way. Confidence, believe in yourself, your preparation and in your support system.
ACTION:

Routine – Great athletes do the same thing, the same way, at the same time each day. Regularity. You can set a clock by the routines of the great ones.
ACTION:

Work- Everyone works. The great ones work smarter with a sense of purpose. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses objectively. Then work to minimize your weaknesses and optimize your strengths. Bring your weaknesses up to the level of your strengths.
ACTION:

Choices - It is always about choices. Make the conscious choice to be the best. Life is constantly about choices.
Action:
Without ACTION these are all just words.Take ACTION now!

One more post on Sergio Reyes' win at TC

I found one more nice slide show and article from the race, and here are a few good photos I found.



The face of complete exhaustion and complete elation at the same moment!

More on Sergio's victory at Twin Cities

Here is the first article from the Star Tribune in Minnesota on Sergio's victory.

And a nice slide show with two great pictures, one of Sergio with the American flag and one of Sergio and Aimee.

By the way, Sergio's win today qualifies him to run for Team USA at the World Championships Marathon 2011 in South Korea!

Watch the finish line video again to see Sergio cross the finish line and be greeted by his wife Aimee!

Mission Accomplished!

I hadn't been longer than 8 miles in two months, so the goal today was 10 at Ave S and the aquecduct (which is out and back twice). It has been two months exactly since my calf injury, can you believe it. My mileage was cut back over 50% for the last two months. So today the goal was a healthy 10 miles. Well, mission accomplished, I had a nice run, 5 miles with a headlamp and 5 miles at sunrise in just under 80 minutes (8:46, 8:21, 7:59, 8:10, 7:54, 8:01, 8:07, 7:50, 7:39, 7:00). Dale, sorry I didn't let you know I was coming but I thought you would be out there. Missed ya I guess.

Chuck finished is back to back marathon weekend with a Maine Marathon today just under 4 hours! I got a text that said the last 6 miles were a battle with fatigue. I can only imagine! So mission accomplished Chuck! Congratulations! Back to back marathons in new states, both under 4 hours!

Mission Accomplished for Sergio Reyes who won the Twin Cities Marathon this morning in 2:14:02 (also a PR by over a minute) and took home the 2010 USA marathon purse of $25,000! Not bad for two hours of work! Runnerspace.com had the race live on their website but blew it when their camera batteries died half way through. Luckily I had an insider texting me with updates. Sergio's wife Aimee was on the lead car! Two guys took off at the start and Sergio hung back with the chase pack with 3 other guys. At about half way they caught the other group and finished as a pack of three. Sergio pulled ahead at the end and won by only 7 seconds! Congratulations Sergio, can't wait to hear more about it! I can't believe it has been a year since Andi and I ran Twin Cities last October.