It's Friday and I feel like crap.... I don't know if I'm not running enough or too much... It's been a hard week to focus... My mind is not ready to run a 5k tomorrow.... And I don't think my body is either.... I want to run a 6:45 pace, but just thinking about it makes me tired.
I'm in a runners funk and I need to pull myself out of whatever I'm in. Maybe I'll go off as fast as I can (forget about pace) and try to hold on to the end. Something needs to change, I need a plan... But for now I'll just put one foot in front of the other and pound out whatever time I can...
I'll get over it.
Race report over the weekend and I'll see ya on the road (I think), runron
Friday, March 2, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
This Gu's For You
I guess I'm what you call a "middle of the pack" runner. I've written in the past about the elites in our sport. Now let me address the runners behind me.
Running in the middle gives me the opportunity to see both ends. Most races are out and back, like the Gasparilla 15k. Running down Bayshore Blvd. then turning around and heading back. The first runners you will see coming back your way are the gifted. They glide at an effortless pace or so it seems (I wouldn't know). They are totally focused on the rhythm of their bodies, but void smiles. There is no smiling when you are trying to win. Their goal is much different then the runners behind me.
Yes I said runners, if you commit yourself to train, give it all you have and never quit then you are a runner. I don't care what your pace may be. You can't put dedication on a watch.
I had the opportunity to witness this when I crossed the finish line last Saturday. I made my way down the race course to see other runners coming in. As the time on the clock grew higher the smiles got wider.
The runners in the back had a sense of accomplishment, all their hard work was paying off for them. I bet if you ask half of them a year ago, if they could run 9.3 miles they would have probably said "you mean in one day"
Finishing a 15k has as much meaning to them as it does to the ones who win. Because they have won.
They fought the demons and won. Someone at work may have told them they couldn't do it. why are they even trying. At times they may have felt like giving up, but they carried on.
You can almost see the stories from their expressions when they are getting close to the finish line.
I sometimes wonder if it took the gifted 6 or 8 hours to run a marathon would they go through the training to run such an event?
Our sport is not the most popular one in the world. We need runners with all talent levels because all runners have a story... A story being told on the roads and races through out the world. I would be willing to bet that the runners in the"back" have a more interesting story to tell then the ones out front.
I know we all have egos and we all want to win, but lets not forget without the "back of the packers" we may not have a race to go to.
I don't want you to think I'm bitter about the front runners. They run a race I'm not familiar with. I just want them to know that they are not the only ones on the road.
I think a lot of them know, I see them out there cheering for us when we come in and we thank you, it means a lot.
To the runners behind me, you are an inspiration and you are way ahead of those that didn't start. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, keep smiling and never be ashamed to call yourself a runner.
This Gu's for you.
(to non-runners Gu is a energy gel that you take during long runs)
Thats my view from the middle
See ya on the road, runron
Running in the middle gives me the opportunity to see both ends. Most races are out and back, like the Gasparilla 15k. Running down Bayshore Blvd. then turning around and heading back. The first runners you will see coming back your way are the gifted. They glide at an effortless pace or so it seems (I wouldn't know). They are totally focused on the rhythm of their bodies, but void smiles. There is no smiling when you are trying to win. Their goal is much different then the runners behind me.
Yes I said runners, if you commit yourself to train, give it all you have and never quit then you are a runner. I don't care what your pace may be. You can't put dedication on a watch.
I had the opportunity to witness this when I crossed the finish line last Saturday. I made my way down the race course to see other runners coming in. As the time on the clock grew higher the smiles got wider.
The runners in the back had a sense of accomplishment, all their hard work was paying off for them. I bet if you ask half of them a year ago, if they could run 9.3 miles they would have probably said "you mean in one day"
Finishing a 15k has as much meaning to them as it does to the ones who win. Because they have won.
They fought the demons and won. Someone at work may have told them they couldn't do it. why are they even trying. At times they may have felt like giving up, but they carried on.
You can almost see the stories from their expressions when they are getting close to the finish line.
I sometimes wonder if it took the gifted 6 or 8 hours to run a marathon would they go through the training to run such an event?
Our sport is not the most popular one in the world. We need runners with all talent levels because all runners have a story... A story being told on the roads and races through out the world. I would be willing to bet that the runners in the"back" have a more interesting story to tell then the ones out front.
I know we all have egos and we all want to win, but lets not forget without the "back of the packers" we may not have a race to go to.
I don't want you to think I'm bitter about the front runners. They run a race I'm not familiar with. I just want them to know that they are not the only ones on the road.
I think a lot of them know, I see them out there cheering for us when we come in and we thank you, it means a lot.
To the runners behind me, you are an inspiration and you are way ahead of those that didn't start. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, keep smiling and never be ashamed to call yourself a runner.
This Gu's for you.
(to non-runners Gu is a energy gel that you take during long runs)
Thats my view from the middle
See ya on the road, runron
Friday, February 23, 2007
Eat the Bear
Well my big races are done for the year and it's only February. For the past six months all I thought about was the marathon and Gasparilla. I feel a little lost without something to work for. I am planing on doing a lot of 5k's this spring, but there is no feeling like a big race.
Keeping my focus on speed work is the key to having a good 5k season. actually the 5k is more my type of race. I really don't have the body type for the long stuff, not many slow twitch muscles and my fast twitch muscles that I once had were last seen at a baseball game about 25 years ago. It all goes back to that gene thing.
I figure I have about a year left before runrandall starts coming in ahead of me, so I better enjoy it while it last.
Running is a funny thing, there are good runs like the kind I had Saturday. Then there is the other run. The one you don't want to do. From the start you say why I'm I doing this? Nothing feels right. Your form is out, you can't focus and every little pain finds a home in the center of your mind. You try to trick yourself into thinking it's getting better, but you know it's not.
So we keep on grinding searching for that run... The run we hope will last forever... The run that makes all the ones we hated worth it.... If you're a runner you know what I'm talking about... If you're not, try it and you will see what I mean.
Somedays you eat the bear and somedays the bear eats you. Thats life.
Check out my brother runrandall's blog, He's come a long way in a short time. I think he's lost something like 60lbs since Jan. 1st. A story like his needs to be shared.
See ya on the road, runron
Keeping my focus on speed work is the key to having a good 5k season. actually the 5k is more my type of race. I really don't have the body type for the long stuff, not many slow twitch muscles and my fast twitch muscles that I once had were last seen at a baseball game about 25 years ago. It all goes back to that gene thing.
I figure I have about a year left before runrandall starts coming in ahead of me, so I better enjoy it while it last.
Running is a funny thing, there are good runs like the kind I had Saturday. Then there is the other run. The one you don't want to do. From the start you say why I'm I doing this? Nothing feels right. Your form is out, you can't focus and every little pain finds a home in the center of your mind. You try to trick yourself into thinking it's getting better, but you know it's not.
So we keep on grinding searching for that run... The run we hope will last forever... The run that makes all the ones we hated worth it.... If you're a runner you know what I'm talking about... If you're not, try it and you will see what I mean.
Somedays you eat the bear and somedays the bear eats you. Thats life.
Check out my brother runrandall's blog, He's come a long way in a short time. I think he's lost something like 60lbs since Jan. 1st. A story like his needs to be shared.
See ya on the road, runron
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Where's Bill?
Gasparilla 15k 2007.... runrandall, runron, but no runbill... See post below for full story.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Memories Of Gasparilla Or Goodbye Bill
Marijuana and beer waft in the air, as I stepped over a passed out woman obviously drunk from a night of too much..well too much.
Oh sorry, wrong flashback... That was Van Halen 1982.
To say the morning was cold does not describe how it felt to this Florida boy. You could tell the contenders from the pretenders by their dress.
The runners wore shorts and tank tops. I was dressed in long running tights, a thermal winter gear shirt, gloves, and a knit cap to cover my "little ears". I think you know who the pretender was... I'm sure I saw a penguin walking south... The weather was not my friend, so I thought.... But after Saturday I'm going to "think a new" on that, but first let me back up to Friday night.
I went to pick-up my bib (#910) with my brother runrandall. We walked through the expo looking at the latest running gear and taking free samples of everything from collard greens to chocolate milk.
When a voice came over the loud speaker. Running legend Bill Rodgers will be at both 315 in 5 min.
Bill Rodgers is a 4 time winner of the Boston and New York City Marathon. To us ham & egger's Bill is the Babe Ruth of running. I mentioned to runrandell how I would like to have my picture taken with the greatest American runner of all time, but I didn't have a camera.
"No problem, my phone has a camera" runrandall said.
Perfect now I can have a photo to put on my blog.( Running legend Bill with runron).
Waiting in line for all the groupies to get out of the way, so I could spend my time with Bill. I noticed how friendly Mr. Rodgers was to complete strangers. He's not just signing and going to the next person... No, he is having deep and long conversations... And I do mean l-o-n-g conversations. You could tell his passion for the sport by the way he listen to what ever nonsense the wannabee runner was telling him.... Bill Rodgers is a class guy.
The time is here, it's me, runrandall, and Bill Rodgers. I pull out my bib for him to sign and ask if I could have a picture taken with him. "Sure" Bill said......
I looked at runrandall.... He looked at me..... I'm still looking at runrandall...
"My batteries are dead" runrandall said.
After a moment of awkward pause.... I said something to Bill about the cold weather and ask him if he was going to run in the race tomorrow? I really don't remember what all Mr. Rodgers said to me. I was too busy giving runrandall a cold icy stare as I fumbled my way through a conversation with a running superstar.
Bill said he was sorry about the picture, then he said... "Tomorrow, see me tomorrow we'll take it then." I shook his hand and walked away, telling runrandall "Ya right, like we'll see him tomorrow".
Back to Saturday, it's 7:00 am and I can't find runrandall. We are suppose to meet on the same corner as last year. After 15 min. of waiting around I decide to warm-up a little bit... then the famous nervous bladder hits.... So I go to the port-a-potty and wait.... Why is it that I always get behind the guy that takes all day to go?... What could he possibly be doing in there? Runners to my left and right are going in and out of the blue bathrooms while I wait for Elvis to exit his throne.
Finally I'm in and out with 15 min. before race time. I don't see runrandall, but I do see his wife. She said he was in the bathroom... Great, if he's behind one of those guys he'll never make the race.
Just when I was thinking that, here come runrandall.
"Guess who I just saw?" runrandall said. "Bill Rodgers"
ARGHHH! and he didn't have a camera....I did. Then his wife Kathy took a quick picture of me and runrandall with no Bill in sight.... Kathy kept the camera while we waited for the race to start.
On with the race.
The start reminded my of the Disney Marathon. We were in the back of the pack, this year the woman and men started at the same place. The same feeling of not being able to move made the first mile a obstacle course, a constant zig-zag wasting energy mile. Split time of first mile was 8:09 (not good, It felt more like two miles of running).
Something weird happened on my way... I started picking up pace.... I don't know if it was the weather or I'm getting better at this, but the next 8 miles I ran about an 7:35 pace.
I don't want to say it was a runners high.... But it felt like my feet did not touch the ground for 8 miles..... I kept looking at my watch thinking I'm out too fast.... I just could not slow down, it felt too good..... So I went with how ever long the feeling would last.
Throwing away all thoughts of crashing, I just ran.... You hear of runners being in the zone... I could not believe the ease of this race.... without getting too deep, it was like I was not there, my mind was running and I was just along for the ride.
If I could capture that feeling.... What a run... I'm finding words hard to describe what I felt.
The funny thing is after I crossed the finish line, I came down.... I had just ran the race of my life, beat my predicted time by almost 4 min. and I felt empty. Maybe that's the way drug addicts feel when they run out of their fix, I don't know?
The best thing about running is it's free and legal... and my drug of choice.
Now I'll bore you with my stats.
Out of 3590 runners I finished 541
Out of 345 men 40-44 I finished 81
With a time of 1:11:39 (I can live with that)
By the way running legend Bill Rodgers ran a 1:11:56 which means I passed him somewhere along the way.... If I'd only had a camera...
Splits
Mile 1- 8:09
Mile 2- 15.44 (7:35)
Mile 3- 23:23 (7:38)
Mile 4- 31:03 (7:40)
Mile 5- 38:46 (7:42)
Mile 6- 46:25 (7:42)
Mile 7- 54:08 (7:42)
Mile 8- 1:01:44 (7:36)
Mile 9- 1:09:20 (7:36)
.3- 1:11:39 (2:15)
Ipod tunes I heard on my way
City Of Blinding Lights-- U2
Hip Hop Hooray--- Naughty By Nature
You Get What You Give--- New Radicals
Starry Eyed Surprised--- Paul Oakenfold
Let's Go---- Trick Daddy
More Human then Human-- Rob Zombie
Explosive--- Bond
Little Less Conversation---- Elvis
Where The Streets Have No Names- U2 (best song ever written)
Badlands (live)--- Bruce Springsteen
Lose Yourself--- Eminem
Express Yourself-- NWA
Mission Impossible-- Moby
Round Up---- N.F.L. Films
Kung Foo Fighting--- Fatboy Slim
Battle Without Honer-- Kill Bill Soundtrack
Good Vibrations--- Marky Mark
See ya on the road, runron
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