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Statesman Capitol 10,000

I just finished the Austin-American-Stateman Capital 10K. I had picked up my bib number on Friday night. When I picked it up I was surprised to get a low bib number (505/blue). Somehow they considered me special and I didn’t deserve it. Maybe it is because I have done this race for the past 12 years. This race got me running in Austin. But I have to thank Nancy B. and Micki G. who convinced me to do the first one even though we walked it together. But I digress. When I arrived this morning I was in the second corral (one down from the elites). The corral was almost empty whereas the next one (orange) was packed, but I saw a few running friends and hung out with them before the race. When the race started I followed Sadie and Megan, but soon realized that they were running too fast so I stopped for a drink of water and I let them go ahead. This helped me because I then don’t keep trying to catch up to them. I’m kind of competitive that way. So I hustled along by myself and took two more water breaks along the way. Just after the 6 mile marker, Chris G. was yelling for me to use my kick for the last little bit. I appreciated that and tried my best down the chute. My official time is 53:42 or 8:46/M. My splits were: Miles 0-3: 26:15; 4: 8:34; 5: 8:37; 6: 8:46. For someone who is just taking a break from running and having no track workouts I was quite statisfied with the results.

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Simpler times

Over the past few years I have been running with more and more specialized running apparel. This includes polyester tops, and shorts. Well today I pulled on a pair of cotton shorts and a regular cotton T-shirt and ran 3 miles around my neighborhood. Back to the basics.

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Running log week of 2007-03-18

3/18 – Sunday – off
3/19 – Monday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/20 – Tuesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/21 – Wednesday – Cross-train on Stationary Bike – 30 minutes
3/22 – Thursday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/23 – Friday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/24 – Saturday – off
Weekly mileage: 12 miles

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Running log week of 2007-03-11

3/11 – Sunday – Town Lake Loop – 10 mile – 1:45 (approx.)
3/12 – Monday – off
3/13 – Tuesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/14 – Wednesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/15 – Thursday – Cross-train on Stationary Bike – 30 minutes
3/16 – Friday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/17 – Saturday – Town Lake Loop – 10 mile – 1:40 (approx.)
Weekly mileage: 29

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Running log week of 2007-03-04

3/4 – Sunday – Town Lake Loop – 10 mile – 1:45 (approx.)
3/5 – Monday – off
3/6 – Tuesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/7 – Wednesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/8 – Thursday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/9 – Friday – off
3/10 – Saturday – off
Weekly mileage: 19 Miles

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Running log week of 2007-02-25

2/25 – Sunday – off
2/26 – Monday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
2/27 – Tuesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
2/28 – Wednesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/1 – Thursday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/2 – Friday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
3/2 – Saturday – off
Weekly mileage: 15 miles

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Running log week of 2007-02-18

2/18 – Sunday – AT&T Austin Marathon – 26.2 miles – 4:28 hours:minutes
2/19 – Monday – off
2/20 – Tuesday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
2/21 – Wednesday – off
2/22 – Thursday – Neighborhood – 3 miles – 30 minutes (approx.)
2/23 – Friday – off
2/24 – Saturday – Town Lake – 10 miles – 1:40 hours:minutes (approx.)
Weekly mileage: 42.2 miles
Comments: It was a recovery week after the marathon.

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Completed my 5th marathon

It wasn’t pretty, but it’s now in the history books.

The weather was fantastic. It was cool and sunny with little or no wind. It was excellent weather. I ran by myself which is a bit sad, but that’s just the way I am. This year I didn’t have a running buddy. Unofficially my time was 4:28 or about 10:14/M. So although my goal was 4:15 and I didn’t make it. But at least I was out there and trying to do the impossible. Bottom line, I did my best. There wasn’t anything left in the tank when I finished. As is my problem I was stiff as a zombie starting around mile 20+. As a result I got slower and slower. I had to walk for quite a while around miles 24 and 25. Near the end the 4:15 pace group leaders, and lots of friends passed and tried to encourage me to run, but there was nada, nothing left – all I could do was walk. Only after the capital building did I begin again to shuffle along because I knew my family was waiting for me at the finish and I just couldn’t be seen walking then. So I hoofed it down Congress as best I could, but wasn’t pretty. I was stiff, stiff, stiff. What can I say. Last year was so fast at 3:50. Right now I doubt I’ll never get there again. So I’m happy to have completed my 5th marathon and finished it any way I could. Oh and I’m very proud to have the finisher’s shirt and medal which are both cool.
However the medal ain’t expensive bling-bling. No gold, silver or platinum or precious stones, but it is precious to me, because of the investment in sweat and time that I spent to get it. I’m proudly wearing them today for everyone to see.

Update: Here is my heart rate. You see my heart rate drop after 4:00 because I was walking.

Update: Here are my splits.

Mile Split Total Heart rate
1 10:10.74 0:10:10.74 132
2 09:10.25 0:19:20.99 142
3 09:02.42 0:28:23.41 138
4 09:28.12 0:37:51.53 140
5 09:09.09 0:47:00.62 146
6 09:00.25 0:56:00.87 144
7 09:20.88 1:05:21 146
8 09:20.45 1:14:42 148
9 09:20.99* 1:24:02 149
10 09:20.99* 1:33:24 149
11 09:28.93 1:42:53 150
12 09:20.85 1:52:13 150
13 09:15.29 2:01:29 148
14 09:00.12 2:10:29 148
15 10:06.07 2:20:35 146
16 09:25.45 2:30:00 147
17 09:42.33 2:39:43 147
18 09:41.09 2:49:24 146
19 09:40.19 2:59:04 145
20 09:41.24 3:08:45 147
21 10:47.52 3:19:33 138
22 10:28.81 3:30:02 142
23 10:09.66 3:40:11 141
24 12:01.58** 3:52:13 131
25 16:19.72** 4:08:33 116
26.2 20:12.96** 4:28:45 110

* missed split
** run/walk


Update: That’s me finishing.

Photo courtesy of Action Sports International

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Two more days

The marathon is almost here. I’ve been visualizing the course based upon my turn-by-turn photos. In addition I’ve made a pace band PDF with a variable-pace adjusting for the hills (based upon a pace of 9:44/M with a 4:15 completion). Tonight I’ve got to get to bed early, because I won’t get much sleep tomorrow night.