In awe

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  • sometimes things just happen

    Day 241 / Seneca Creek 50K report

    Another long post, but I had to get it out. I know, readers can get blog-fatigue. I do. Some readers only read once a month, some once a week. I try to blog when I can. Yes, mostly for myself as a run journal. So here is another run report.

    At church, we have been learning about the providence of God in our study of the book of Esther – how the God of the universe is orchestrating all things to happen the way he wants it to happen to show his care and protection of his chosen people. It takes a leap a faith to believe this because we can’t come to reconcile how each of us can act the way we want to act and still in the end fall into place according to God’s plan. Enough said. For those who believe in the complete sovereignty of God, it is a delight and comfort when we see how things work out seemingly toward a goal.

    On a smaller scale, there are times when I don’t plan things out but what you really wanted would happen and you saw it and said that’s really what I want all along, as if it has been planned.

    And sometimes, no matter how much you plan murphy’s law always ruin the day.

    Last weekend was one like it (the good kind and not the murphy’s law kind). I didn’t really plan for this race. It has been a series of events and making the right decision at the right time and finally it brought to pass and now I looked back and say it was perfectly planned and executed. I couldn’t have done it any better. I was like I woke up in the morning, saw a race on my calendar, ran it, and pleased.

    I was lined up for two races for the weekend. Seneca Creek on Saturday was signed up a bit while ago, maybe after I got accepted to the Laurel Highland race or sometimes in Janurary. The second race was the Reston 10 Miler, which I signed up just couple weeks ago (blogged about it).

    I have forgotten (willfully put out of my mind) the race date until middle of the week of. I knew the weekend is going to be tough one. I have a 31 mile run on Saturday, then a 10 miles run on Sunday, and my own long run training (16 miles) for the weekend.

    Seneca Creek Greenway 50K, is a low frill, low cost, local marathon. It was one of the best races I have done. I just love the local flavor. Everyone, mostly everyone are from the surounding areas. I don’t know anyone really, but I felt we were one big family. I was giddy excited to run with them. I don’t usual get this kind of feeling except for my weekly group run. I met couple people and we talked and laughed, which is why I love it so much.

    There was no corporate branding. It was not like DC Rock n Roll. The course can be challenging. If I haven’t done other ultras in the mountains like in West Virginia or in Roanoke, this race would be considered one of the hardest. The reason being is a lot of local people are ‘road’ marathon runners, it is not easy for them. We living in the city (flat city) don’t get that kind of hills. Seneca Creek though has a fair bit of hills relatively speaking.

    How can I tell of they are road runners? By the things they wear and the way they run. Sometimes it is just ridiculous. Not complaining. An example, the direction clearly said no earphone, yet there were people still listening to whatever they were listening. You only mostly see this behavior with road runners (city people). They must have their music to pump them up. I know don’t judge, because they might have their volume down really low, and they might say they can hear runners coming up behind them. Again I know some trail runners too listen to stuff (but we were taught to only listen with one ear, and leave the other ear free). Any way, I am not complaining…since I can run faster than them and stay far far away. When you throw in hills, I beat the h#* out of them. I am one of the mountain boys. Indeed, too many of them were walking up small hills as if it was a street marathon!

    The course m has about 1,000 ft of total gain. Not a whole lot but enough. Of course now I am a master of hills, having done as much as 7,000 ft on some weekends. 1,000 was just the right amount for me to be able to run at a decent pace. It enjoyed the challenge.

    The course is a bit longer than 50k. My watch recorded 32 miles. Knowing GPS is not that accurate any way, so 1 mile over 31, is about 3%, I would say the watch is within the expected value.

    Here you can also tell who were new to trail marathon. Road runners care a lot of distance and time but trail runners know, in trail race, you never able to get the race to measure to the exact distance. I had race directors calling a 28 miles a 50K. And in Seneca Creek 28 miles is their marathon distance. So for runners coming from road running community, they were shell-shocked.

    About those GPS watches, we think they are highly accurate but they are not. The accuracy is depended how many satellites it can acquire at a given moment and how frequently it is polling. The watch usually extrapolate the distance traveled from two points to give the measurement in between, giving the impression the tracking is live. It is not live, silly. The points in between the polling were estimates and on trail marathon, those hills and switch backs will throw the estimations completely off. Also for GPS to work it needs clearing of space, not under trees or rocks. Best to be on top of a hill. Trees and mountains block and interfere with the GPS signal, and most people didn’t know about this. I came across this problem while trying to aquire GPS indoor (also later outdoor). Also, we think GPS can aquire signal being on the move. The best result is when you are standing still and let it finishes it calculation, which can take a while! Surprise, surprise. I know because I have one of those backpacker handheld GPS unit and it was frustrating to use (because I didn’t understand GPS limitations at the time). Yes, finally, it takes a ‘long’ time to get a GPS reading. Most phones cheated here, they use various other means to get your position (like cell tower signal) so it is not solely GPS but our watches often do not get that fancy phone signal. I said too much. I felt superior to other runners when they said their GPS watch gave this and that mileage as if their watch is the authorative source of information. The best way to measure distance is take a measuring wheel and measure the course (which they do for road marathon, to have the course certified).

    I set my goal to finish between 3:00 – 3:30 pm (race started at 8). So I gave myself 7 – 7.5 hrs. Reason being is I didn’t want to wear out myself since it was supposed to be a long run to get me ready for the race in June. But I actually pushed myself a bit too hard and was worn out around miles 24. I finished in 6.5 hrs (2:30 pm).

    I don’t mind finishing eatlier than expected but in pushing myself, I made a tactical error. Actually was unavoidable. I rolled my left ankle around mile 23/24. I limped a bit then the pain went away and I went back to running. The event might have caused me to sit out for a long while and would have missed other races. So it was very risky. I knew this in the back of my mind. Just don’t get injured, I told myself.

    I thought rolling my left foot was serious but after the race, my right foot hurted more than my left. I must have injured it somewhere during the race. It was unexplainable. I must have been so pumped with adrenaline that I was not aware of the injury until couple hours after the race. Somehow the back of my right heel was hurting, and still hurts even today.

    Oh, on the trail, there is no mileage sign, all mileage is approximate. So at around 26 mile, I got anxious. I know last couple miles from mile 26 to the finish since I was helping out the race last year and scoped the trail. So as I was running, I said, I should be coming up to an area I recognize. It took a while, finally I started recognizing my surrounding.

    The last part of the race was the decision point. This race had a feature that allowed all runners to switch to run a marathon or a 50k at the decision point at mile 27. Those who want to change their mind to do the marathon would take a left and get to the finish area. Those who want to continue doing the 50K would take a right at the decision point and they would run around the lake to get 31 mile.

    I took the trail to the right. The path was familiar to me since I walked on the trail last year, scoping out the place. I never thought about running it then. Funny how things worked out. The lake was beautiful. The weather was perfect. I did not take any photo but the sunshine and the lighting made the lake sparkled in a way as if I was in an enchanted place.

    No time for that. I got to finish the race. I knew I only had a few miles left. I had various expectations as I ran. I said I must cross a bridge here and there. There were three bridges and the last was unexpected. There was a parking area that I must come across. I must cross a road. Then it would be near the finish area. I came across all those places. The last section felt long after crossing the road. A runner told me, I only have a third of a mile left, and that seemed forever. I was glad to know the distance. Then we came to the last hill. I recognized it. Now I don’t remember if I ran up or walked up, but the finish line was just beyond the hill (hidden from view). Once I climbed the hill, I saw the finish line to my left. I splinted to it. The clock showed 6:30. I was thrilled. I did it under 7 hours with lot of time to spare.

    I am a pro at this now. The volunteer recorded my time and took my timing chip. It was one of those you put on your shoes. I spent the race thinking what would be the best way to remove the chip. (cut it). My car was nearby, I went and changed clothes. I could hardly walk at that point. Yup, it seemed only few minutes but time flew. I then went to the bathroom. I have been holding in for the whole race. At mile 26 I was going to use the potty, but someone was in it, so I skipped it. I could also have gone behind a tree, but somehow I did not want to break the momentum of my run, so I held it till crossing the finish. That was a first. 6 1/2 hours of holding it in! Yike!

    I went to the finisher area. We have unlimited food and drinks. I limited myself to one drink, since I still had to drive home. I had a good time. I met couple new people. We talked and hang out for couple hours and it was the best race experience ever.

    Later, once my body (tempersture) recovered, I went back out to cheer until the last runner crossed the finish line.

    For me, this race was not that stressful. I took it as a training run to get me prepare for the one in June. It was trail and I love it. It was not too technical but it had enough hills and distance to make it an ideal training run for the weekend. I did push myself a bit too hard and got injured as the result. Hopefully, I will recover soon from that.

    It is interesting thinking how I got into the race. I think the race wouldn’t have been there if not for some random events. I don’t even recall when I signed up for the race. The several people I met, we were like buddies. I truly enjoyed it. The race was low cost, which was the best reason to run it for me. Less than $40 and it was an ultra, where else can you find such races? Of course there are those fat-ass races, but I have not ran those yet. It was a very good experience for me.

    Sometimes things just happened to give you the best weekend you would remember for a long time!

  • Reston X Miler (10 Miles)

    Day 240 / Long post

    I better get to it before I don’t want to write about it any more. My usual practice is to only journal about my big runs, and this 10 miler is not what I considered a big race. Still it was pretty awesome of overcoming hurdles to get to the finish line, just like other marathons I have done.

    I was very excited to run in the Reston X Miler race because it was a local race hosted by Potomac Running (shoes store), so it is one of the PR races that I do all the time. They were the first people, I came to know about running and running competitively (hmm as recreational competition). I grew up in a family with little money to spare — basically we wereat or even below the proverty line (that is another story or blog post in itself), so joining a running club or sport was out of my mind when I was young (in fact it felt normal not to do the sport as most kids think of sports – we still played outside of course but not where we have to pay to play) and paying someone money so that I could run was completely an insane idea, even until recently in my family. It is a running joke within our family, that I should pay them instead and they would watch me run and do whatever a race would do like taking my picture or jotting down my time and posting them online. Their point is why pay when you can do it on your own for free. It seemed very silly to ‘starve’ myself so I can pay to run in a race. $40-50 is a significant chunk of mulla for a weekend ‘fun’.

    But I have come to embrace racing near and far and have probably done close to hundred of them by now. I lost count. Say 20 races a year, and I am in my fourth year, or so about 80 races with some quick math. Most of my results are posted on Athlink if it ever gets there.

    As I said, I don’t usually write about the smaller races but only marathons and ultras, which I have done about 20 of those.

    But the Reston 10 Miler has become a tradition for me, having done it every year. However this year, money is very tight. Normally I paid for all the local races (from PR Races) by purchasing a race pass (or more) at the beginning of the year and use the pass(es) to redeem the race when they come. This year, I have no money for race p/asses. I was broke and still am.

    My lucky break came when I got a tax refund from the government. Everyone was telling me to save the money. Ya, sure. The first thing I did was signing up the Pot of Gold (took place the previous weekend on March 1, which I blogged about it), and this one, Reston X. I felt since it was almost no chance of running it, and finally the chance came, I should memorialized it here.

    Races are not too expensive that I can’t afford them but they were enough to make me pause. Is it worth it to throw down $100 for these two races (Pot of Gold and Reston X)? That could have been my two weeks worth of food money! I am to the point of counting pennies! So I didn’t sign up until the last moment when the extra money showed up. I know, this is not the wisest way to manage money. But but, I really like to run in them. I admit, I’m an addict runner.

    See, the background story is more interesting than the race itself! I will get to the race soon.

    I showed up bright and early. The race was at 8AM. I woke up around 5 – 5:30. Really, I take racing seriously and religiously. I went to bed really early too, making sure I have my full 8-hr of pilot rest. My friends kind of joke about I couldn’t wake up for church for the 11 AM service each Sunday, but if there is a race, you bet, I will be bright eyes bushy tail at the zero dark hour. I don’t even need to set an alarm. My body just wakes up on it own. Ha!

    Time change was this Sunday. Yes the Day Light Saving kicked in. Not complaining about lacking an hour of sleep. It didn’t mess me up. It was just still dark when I left for the race and very cold (relatively speaking), but I was ready. A bit sleepy for sure, but no one was on the road at that hour.

    I grabbed a quick bite. Warmed up the Instant Oat. Our microwave broke, so it was not heating up. Fidgeted around the machine. It was humming along but no heat and the light was off. What give? I didn’t whack it but really wanted to. No avail. So I ate it cold.

    I have been ready the night before, laying out the clothes I would be wearing. A lot of thoughts go into this. I had a long sleeves underneath, with a short sleeves (T-shirt) on top. For the pants, I wore long. No need for long johns but I was not as brave as the day before to be in shorts. I felt I gave everything the previous day, and today I just wanted to be comfortable today. As a runner, you know to plan for 10 degrees warmer. What this mean is say the temperature is going to reach 40 deg (F), so you should dress if it were 50 deg, because that will be how your body would feel by the middle of the run. To do that, you must be willing to stand the cold of the first few minutes before it reaches the right temperature. Not on this day though. I know it would get warm later in the race but no way would I ditch my get up. I then put on a coat and headed out. I was toasty warm. That how I like it.

    Since I wasn’t able to pick up the race bib the day before, I had to get there a little early. The place opened at 6:45, I believed I was there around 7.

    I already checked the course the night before (map check), visualizing the run before I slept. There were bit of details I was not familar with, but the course was basically a normal 5K + 10K, plus an extra mile in the beginning. I ran 5k’s and 10k’s at the location too many times and know those routes by heart.

    Unlike other races, I was a bit tired having done a 32 mile run the day before. So there was very little warm up I wanted to do. Instead I stayed hunker down in the school cafeteria (the race staging ground) until close to the time of starting. The only warm up I did was a few jumping jacks with the whole crowd. PR races usually have someone to lead a warm up for few minutes. Those were the extend of my warm up for the race.

    Normally speaking, the weather was very good for running. I believed it was 26 when I woke up, but by the time the race started, it was probably around 32-35. It would continue to climb to the 40s and reach 60s by end of the day. It was relatively calm without wind, unlike the day before. However, I just felt cold. I know it was a mental thing. I felt I had nothing left in me to fight the cold since I left everything on the course the day prior in another race.

    I knew this race would be a hard one. So I tried to tell myself that ten miles shouldn’t be too bad for me because I normally can do it in my sleep. I kept reassuring myself, it is just a 10K plus another 5K. Easy. I would finish in 1.5 hrs at most.

    Things were not good at the start. I could feel the pain on the back of my right heel with every single step. I tried to do it as gentle as possible, shifting my leg, moving my ankle, just trying to find the best position that it would hurt less.

    Over time the pain became dull and later disappeared completely, to my joy! I could run. My left ankle, the one I rolled, was not an issue. I could pound as hard on that one without a problem.

    However, pain on my right foot was not the only issue. I had problem breathing. I felt I couldn’t take in deep breath. The left of my left shoulder blade would hurt if I did. I knew this condition. It happened once before last year, when I had like three races over a weekend, and on my last one the pain came when I tried to breath. So I knew, there was no point in trying to run fast. I can only run as a pace my body could take at the moment. I will have to do a google search if other runners experience this kind of breathing problem.

    I slowly picked up the pace as my body allowed me. Seeing the first mile, then the second mile sign and the third. I skipped the first water station. No need to take water now.

    By the way, many people passed me during the first few miles. Note, I didn’t line up to the front of the line but at what I felt was appropriate for my condition (10-12 min group).

    Still many people passed me. I wasn’t bothered by this. I was too busy monitoring my foot and lung. It was just an observation that those people I normally left them in the dust, now I couldn’t even keep up with.

    At no point did I panic. I ran enough marathons and I know this was not one. I was always afraid of being disqualified for not running fast enough. I did the math in my head, with two hours to run, I would not be disqualified. Only thing is to press on. One step after another.

    My goal then was to reach mile marker 6, since that would basically ensure that I would finish. I also know the neighborhood, so I had in my mind every turn that was about to come. I know almost every hill there and when to press hard and when to ease up. Familarity with the course really helped.

    I don’t remember when I started feeling better, whether it was mile 5 or even before that. By mile six I was flying. Those people who passed me earlier, now I was chasing them down. I saw everyone I passed was exhausted. They were out of breath and they could barely maintain their pace. I was on the other hand fresh. As fresh as I can be.

    I had a new goal then, to be the top 100 finishers. I really felt I could do it. I looked staight ahead and saw bunch of runners after runners. In my mind I started counting off. 30 runners here and over there 20. I could do it. I could pass them. I pressed hard. The more people I’d pass the higher the likelihood I would be able to reach it.

    Miles were flying by. There 4 more to go, then 3 more and 2 and last mile. There were probably 10 more people I saw that I felt I could over take them. But it was hard! I was staying with them, passing some still but it was slow going. I was running out of time here because the race wad about to end. I did not exactly know where the turn would be to the finish line, but I knew it was about to be there in a few more minutes. I only could keep trying in closing the gap at it.

    Funny though as I was passing people, I think going back at mile 7-ish, there was a black guy, passing me on my left. I looked over. The dude was young and he had on a sweater, not a runner outfit but he seemed enjoying and not sweating at all. He passed me with ease just as easily as I was passing other ‘slower’ people to my right. In no time he disappeared out of my line of vision. The point was he was not even trying. He was as if just a warm up run. Dude, you know if he was running for real, he be gone. It reminded me to some people say running at a 7 min pace is like for me running at a 12 min pace. Instead, he seemed just like he was fast walking and he was passing me by. I was amazed. People on my right ignored him like they were ignoring me. They were too focused on their breathing and maintaining their pace to see the guy. I was floored.

    The finish line came in sight. There was a lady I was trying to pass as there were about 200 meter left. I passed still some more people maybe 4-5 more, but there was this lady who wouldn’t yield. She had what is known as the kick. I do too, but she out kicked me and blazed to the finish line. I know it was rather stupid try to win the last few seconds because we were chip-timed and not gun-timed. To be able to finish just one second or half a second ahead doesn’t mean you have bested the other person. It could be the other person started way later than you, so though you beat the person to the finish line, but that person might have ran the race in a shorter time still according to the RFID chip, so would beat you when the result is announced instead of who crosses the finish line first.

    It seemed I am a bit competive. Actually, I don’t really care. It was all about running the hardest. Other people only serve as a reference point for me. They do make me run my hardest (I don’t run like that in training).

    As I crossed the finish line I saw the time on the clock, it was not a ‘fast’ time. I know in my mind my fastest time for a 10 miler was 1:20. The clock was showing no where near that. I had 1:32 for this race. After looking back from the last few years’ results, this was in fact my slowest 10 miler.

    Sad it may seem, I did not get rank into the top 100 finishers. However, I was thrilled of having a blast as I was trying to over take people. It really seems silly to do so because by the time I picked up my pace, the people I passed were not at my level – so it felt more like competing with the easy crowd (I felt like taking candies from little kids). In the end it is all individual effort. Running is really an individualized sport. It is always me and the clock and no one else.

    I mentioned about timing. Most runners do not care about it. In a sense, true. Clock only matters to the first couple finishers. The rest of us were just participants. We ran not to win because that is an unrealistic goal. But clock does mean something. I ran in a ‘race’ where the clock was not even on, and that was a downer for me.

    I am still young. There are still chances that I would be able to improve on my time. I could imagine maybe in another 10 years, where no matter how hard I train, my result just won’t show. Age will be a factor. That would be interest to see what motivation do I still have to get myself onto the course. I suspect it would be still almost the same. It’d be seeking the thrill of running ‘fast’. Yes, fast is relative.

    I just love maps, so here it is
    I think I had a reverse split!! Not as dramatic how I described it in the blog, but yes, I was picking up the pace with each mile

  • Run summary

    Day 239

    As usual of last few weeks, I will here post my recap of last week runs. I am not sure which week I am on now either 7 or 8. I usually lost count once passing 5.

    Unlike the previous week with only 9 miles, this week I put up a big number. It wasn’t a surprise since I knew I would be doing a 50K long time ago.

    Monday: rest

    Tuesday: about 4 mi, with group

    Wednesday: rest. again I failed to wake up early to run and at night I was too tired to go back out.

    Thursday: 4 mi, with group. uneventful. One of night we were rained on, probably was Tuesday.

    Friday: 0. Was very tempted to run, but in the end listened to reason since I would be doing a 50K the next day.

    Saturday: 32 mi. according to garmin. People say the course was long. I haven’t checked the website. I know the marathon course was 28 miles. I felt the ultra course was about right. Hopefully a full report will be prepared if I get to it.

    Sunday: 10 mile race in Reston. Plus a just shy of a 16 mile long run.

    Total: 66 miles.

    On one hand I am proud of the number, but the 50K came with a cost. I kind of overextended myself and came away with two bad foot! I rolled my left ankle. My right foot is more serious. I couldn’t walk without pain. I haven’t exactly found out the reason. I think it is more than skin abrasion on the back of my right heel. I somehow bruished it.

    I am a bit concern now if I can run when I get to PA for Laurel Highlands training #2.

  • bit of everything

    Day 238

    I am a bit sleepy so I will try to make this quick. I feel if I don’t write something, I might never get to it.

    This weekend is everything I want it to be. I totally exhausted myself. I did a 50K on Saturday (the full report will hopefully available some day). I love it a lot. Challenging and fun.

    Then on Sunday I had my normal long run. Let me tell you, I almost did not survive the run. Five miles into it, the temptation was there to call an uber to pick me up. I in the end struggled through. It was one of my slowest long run…finished in 3.5 hrs.

    Any way, I also did another race in the morning – a 10 miler. I really want to write a report for this since it was only possible from the tax refund I received earlier last week. I thought I was running fast, but I finished of a time that was’t that impressive. But I had my thrill. It was a hard race though.

    Moving on, next weekend I will go back to PA for Laurel #2 run. It has been one month since I went there. Time is moving so fast. I will write more about Laurel #2 in a separate post. I just want my readers to know I am happy and can’t wait to get there for another training run.

    More news. I booked my flight for Bolder Boulder Race (in Colorado). The ticket was not cheap at all. Many were saying no one flying any more, so in theory you can get cheap airflight. (I will write more about Boulder Trip).

    There you have it.

    (some minor post editing)

  • Let get the show on

    Day 237 / weekend

    It is almost a typical weekend, all peaceful and calm before the storm.

    COVID19 is getting everyone on their nerve in the US. As a runner, I am kind of nervous since I signed up many races months beforehand and would not like any of them to be canceled.

    While watching the status of my much smaller local races (the Reston X Miler (10 Miler) and the Seneca Creek Greenway run), since the State of Maryland has declared a state of emergency, I couldn’t help but drawn into the discussion about the LA Marathon. California too has declared a state of emergency. Personally, if the governor declared an emergency all should treat it as one. But many people do not. Many runners joked about 6 feet of separation the health officials advocated to runners and fans of the LA Marathon. We laughed about it since both races will be on this weekend. Mine is on a much smaller scale of several hundred people, but still the risk is there with any gathering of people of possible contagion.

    As a runner, I wouldn’t want my race to be canceled. My race director sent out couple emails confirming our local race is still on in spite of everything.

    And so, I got myself to bed early and hauled myself up before the crack of dawn. Here I am toeing at the start line.

    This would be my 2nd big race of the year. Yes, there will be many more to come. This is like a testing run, a first trail marathon (50K) for the year.

    I will write more when I finish the race.

  • transformation

    Day 236

    I have been thinking much about it and did not have a handle on last Wednesday message. Given I arrived late and missed two third of the preaching, I did try my best to zero in on the closing point.

    Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
    II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

    I have been thinking that transformation is a gradual process, at least for me, I feel I haven’t improved a lot. It is only through looking back after some time has passed that I can see I am no longer what I used to be.

    My pastor reminded me it required a deeper change – actually a total change from inside (being a new creation). We have a new identity. I don’t know how this is related to running. I tried not to. He even prayed at closing that the hearers would understand the message in the right way and not twist them or corrupt them.

    One thing we do forget is that we are so used to our old ways of doing thing and we forget we have been made new. This I can relate to running.

    I said I was going to change. I was going to wake up earlier on Wednesday and I would run in the morning. But I haven’t. It is so easy to just stay in bed after the alarm rings and I have been doing so for the ladt three weeks.

    Transformation is realized we are no longer the same. We have to put to death our old self.

  • weekly run summary

    Day 235 / week 6

    Monday: rest

    Tuesday: 4 mi

    Wednesday: none

    Thursday: 4

    Friday: 14-15

    Saturday: hiking buckhollow-hanzel river loop – 20 mi (ran about final 2 mi downhill); completed in 7 hours

    Sunday: 10k race

    total: 28 mi + 20 mi hiking

    Due to various reasons mainly tireness and being lazy, I didn’t run over the weekend. The hike was mostly compensated my run. It was not strenuous, but my ankles had a very good workout. The pace was good. I had done this hike twice before and in the past it took me 8 hours at a much shorter distance (18 miles). I know now I have improved a lot since. Couple massive hills during the hikes were nothing to me; I didn’t break a sweat. My partner though was panting and we took couple short breaks on the way up; she said she was out of shape. I didn’t think so. We ran the last two miles downhill.

    20 miles is still 20 miles. Though I felt I could have an even harder workout if I ran the thing, I was tired by the time we left the trail. I slept through the drive home, then the whole next day…basically skiping my long run on Sunday. I felt I might able to do the long run if I pushed myself…but the extra day of rest should help me next weekend.

    I did the 10K. The time was acceptable. Finished in 53 minutes. My fastest 10K was in 48 min. 52-53 is around my average / 8:30 pace. It was still an improvement from my last few 10K. This was after a long hike from the day before. I really didn’t feel fresh that morning. To able to pull a reverse split was something – I didn’t really plan for that either, I only ran at the pace my body felt comfortable and as the race went on, my body and legs became easier to run.

    I didn’t put up big number this week. I could have, but I had no regret to switch up the runs with a hike. I was grateful for my friend who canceled her weekend backpacking trip to hike with me on Saturday.

    14 more weeks left before the Laurel Race.

  • POT OF GOLD 10K

    Day 234 / Race Report

    Not sure when is Shamrock Day but Happy Leprechaun!

    I am grateful to finally run it – the Pot of Gold 10K. It was a great day. Cold. I think it was 26/28 F (not sure about temp in Celcius, mayby -1 or -2) when we started. It got warmer once we were about a mile in the run. There were also some wind.

    Hey usually I don’t do a race report on smaller races, since I do so many of these kind of races all the time. But since I drummed it up so much leading up to it, I should let everyone know how it went.

    It was a new course to me. My first time running it. I have done severy races in the area of One Loudoun (shopping center), so it was not totally new to me. Still, the 10K course was the first time I was running it.

    I have ran enough 10K to get a feel of the timing and pacing. I forgot to wear my Garmin watch so, I used my phone to track the run. I normally don’t like running with the phone. I ran with it this time, thinking I would take some pictures during the race (I didn’t).

    A bonus was I got the reverse split. crazy right? The longer I ran, the faster I got during the race. That’s scary.

    I was far from getting on the podium this time. I was ranked 12th in my age group.

  • Random Friday sort-of

    Day 233 / weekend

    A plug for my friend Isaiah Day who started this blog Player Development for athletes. I am anticipating his interview with an ultra distance runner next Tuesday 3/3 @10:00 ET.

    More info about the interview can be found on his group Facebook page. ah…it is hard to link to FB.

    Other news: This weekend probably won’t be much different.

    Saturday! I will be hiking with my buddy K. No running… otherwise I would intimidate her. Actually I have seen her hiking faster than I can run on the trail. She is a downhill specialist.

    We will be going to BuckHollow. It is one of my training destination. I have been lonely training for last five weeks and I have a partner to join me this weekend.

    Sunday: Running the Pot of Gold 10K, which I wrote about in the previous entry. I am excited.

    Rest of the day, I hope to squeeze in some long run.

    There is actually quite a lot of things to do. Weekend is too short.