Thursday, July 06, 2006

Jack has moved to BTT

Jeff at breakingthetape has my new Blog up and running (again), so please redirect to my new URL:

http://www.breakingthetape.com/runningwithjack/

Don't forget to redirect your Bloglines and other feeds to the new URL.

See you on the other side!

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Technical Difficulties

Please ignore that last post, since I already managed to kill the template on my new breakingthetape blog. Now how do I break the news to Jeff...

In any case I will post at both sites until the new site recovers from Jack the Blog Killer's latest thrashing.

Did you ever have one of those days where you really, REALLY need to go for a run...!

Jack has moved to BTT!

Running with Jack has moved to http://www.breakingthetape.com/runningwithjack/, bye-bye Blogger nightmares! Please redirect your Bloglines and other feeds to the new URL.

See you on the other side!

Monday, July 03, 2006

An Early Morning 14K Recovery Run

Today marks the beginning of a very busy week at work, so I will probably fall behind on reading and writing blogs. One of our manager’s from our sister company in Billerica (MA – USA) will be here at 2:30 this afternoon. We will be trying to complete a technical manual before he leaves on Wednesday.

So in anticipation of a late night at work I decided to go in a little later today and ran at 5 a.m. It was still nice and cool outside as I started out on my 14K/8.7M loop. The sun was just stretching as I made my way over the fields. My legs were a bit sore from my overindulgence at the 10K race yesterday. After a few kilometres my legs started loosing up and I fell into a comfortable 6:00/K (9:39/M) pace, which I maintained the rest of the run.

My next run will probably be Wednesday night, if I get off work on time. I want to run for the first time with the Graben Running Club, the group that put on the 10K race yesterday.

On Friday night or Saturday morning I want to try my first longer run, probably about 2½ hours – easy pace. This should give me a pretty good idea how fast I can return to normal training.

My next major (scheduled) event is a forest marathon on September 10th. Of course there are lots of other race choices almost every weekend, so I may use some of these for training purposes.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Recovery, How Boring, or the Graben 10K Race Report

Yesterday (Saturday) I spent some time in my woodworking shop working on a small cupboard that my wife can use a coffee machine and “stuff” at work – nothing fancy, just painted plywood.

The weather was beautiful again, sunny and a mild 29C/85F. After grilling up a couple steaks for lunch my wife took a nap and I took an hour walk around the fields surrounding our town. Not the same as running, but pleasant just the same.

This morning I woke up an debated whether I should run the 10K race that was offered at the next town, Graben, the town with the Running Club that I have been thinking about joining. So after pondering over the negative aspects of running a race a week after an ultramarathon, which took about a zillionth of a second, I suited up and drove my scooter to the race. I told my wife that I was just going to go and run a “fun run”, which she never believed for a moment.

So anyway I rode my scooter to the race and parked right next to the school in the bicycle parking area. All the car parking places were filled as I knew they would be, thus the reason for taking the scooter.

It was already 26C/79F and humid – the race was going to be a hot one! I picked up my race number and chatted with a couple people I know – Friedrich Vetter from the Running Club Phillipsburg, he ran the 80K race last weekend too! Albert Ulrich, the 91 year old runner that frequents the local races, he was only going to run the 5K today – too hot!

About 15 minutes before the race I jogged a few minutes to warm up, then took my place at the Start. I new from running this race previously that walkers and slower runners tend to line up at the front and middle of the pack, so I made sure I was well in the front.

So after a few minutes the start pistol went off and we were on our way. I decided to push and see what my body could deliver! I ran the first kilometer in 4:46 (7:40/M) and the second in 4:49/K (7:44/M). As we headed out over the open fields in the full sun I could feel the humidity trying to zap my energy. I tried to ignore this and just concentrated on keeping the pace up. After about 10 minutes we again entered the shade of the forest – the trails that the Graben Running Club uses for their training – I knew them well as I trained on them through the winter.

I passed the 5K half-way point in just over 24 minutes, it was still possible to break my 48:18 personal record, but I had to keep the pace going. I attached myself to a talk, lanky, young man that slowly passed me – I figured if I could hang with him I’d make it.

I passed the 6K marker, 4:55/K (7:55/M) pace, I need to keep this going. Past the 7K, I was breathing heavy, the younger man was speeding up. I hung with him, gosh the time is going by slowly – why do I do this to myself.

So out into the sunny fields again, the forest was so nice and cool…come on Jack, don’ get soft now. So on across the fields, back onto an asphalt path – we joined back with the 5K runners – just a few 5K runners straggling in.

I passed the 8K maker, just one foot in front of the other. We headed back into town, made a left, then a right, past the 9K marker – time to pick up the pace. Huff, puff – gosh I wish I didn’t eat so much the last couple days, I’m carrying an extra 5 pounds today – I feel it all.

Last corner, the young dude left me in the dust, I pass a few, there’s the finish – I try to sprint but it is weak, I cross the finish – glad that’s done. Whew!

Dang, I’m 8 seconds too slow – 48:26. I missed breaking my personal record (48:18) by 8 seconds. But that is still good for a new SECOND BEST!! Whoohoo!

So I walked around for a couple minutes to cool down, then gorged myself with cold watermelon that they were offering – umm, the best part of the run!

As I stood in the shade cheering in the last of the runners I got to talking with a young lady from the Graben Running Club about there group. She invited me to stop on by an run with them next Wednesday night. Sounds cool!

How was your weekend?

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?