Richard,
I finally saw those facebook photos of me. I would have had a tough time picking myself in those, thanks.
Also I saw that you ran on the Grier Track last Sunday, is this open to the public, looks like it's asphalt, is it? I'd like to do a few intervals this Saturday or Sunday.
Shashi... Yep, I ran around the Grier track a couple of times. It's asphalt and it's B-O-R-I-N-G. I was just running by that way and figured I had to run 18 miles one way or the other so I ran around just long enough to feel like somebody put me into a sleeper hold.
Richard Hefner Past Race Results (Athlinks)
I got a late start tonight at about 7:30. I had mentioned to a new runner to my running group that I sometimes run other courses, and might do so Thursday evening. She and her husband just moved from Colorado, and he was concerned about her running our group's Thursday run over off of Commonwealth due to the area. So, she sent me a message saying she wanted to join me. I guess her husband felt better about her running with me for some reason, even though the Thursday run often has 30 - 40 runners regularly. I doubt she knew what McMullen Creek Greenway is like at night, and it is DARK. She got a little spooked I think, but seemed to have fun. Coming back under the 485 bridge, she took off with me chasing. She said she thought she heard somebody burp, hiding under the bridge. That cracked me up. She was serious. She use to run the 400 in school, under 60 seconds, so I'm sure I would have been the target if somebody was there. I'm curious what she told her husband. Funny thing is, we ran in to our group run founder around 8:30 just starting her 10 mile run.
Lynwood, do you run w/a headlamp? How can you see in front of you? Unless the moon is full, there are sections of that greenway that would be pitch dark at night. Being fr NY, I had to laugh as I always have that same thought about someone living/lurking under the overpass...but that I485 overpass is rather "remote". I think it was like a frog that sounded like a burp...LOL. I'm planning to run there Friday (during sun light) for a 6 mile AT run.
Rob
On the road again...
Night running is great, but definitely only if you've got a good light and wide shoulders on the road.
Had 8 great miles today. Haven't felt that good on a run in a long time.
I write. I read. I run. One time, I ran a lot on my 50th birthday.
Paul
Had one of the better long runs I've ever run this morning. 17.3 miles, no walking, never took a gel, drank plenty of water, and my HR and pace stayed very consistent. The kind of run that makes marathons feel almost do-able.
I know the feeling, Ran 7 this afternoon every mile under my hoped for Marathon pace and felt great. Fall weather rules.
Great running Paul and Shashi.
Nice run, Sashi. I had that happen on my 8 mile run Friday. Never felt like I was pushing, and when it was all over had run it faster than my MP. That's such a good feeling. And then to throw a 17 miler on top of that the next day with pace being only a tick slower than MP, well, it made my weekend.
under a rock
I did 12 miles on the ridgeline trail this morning, absolutely beautiful weather. What a treat! I'm so excited about the temps, I hope they'll stay this way for my marathon.
So how did Clive Fenster do in the Twin Cities Marathon today? I'd look him up but I don't remember his real name!
I managed to do a 20-mile death march... 20 loops around Martha Rivers Park just so I wouldn't get overstimulated.
Bought a new sledgehammer at Home Depot and told Linda to beat me senseless with it if I ever mentioned running another marathon.
Richard, I hope you reversed directions a few times running circles like that.
I am convinced that we don't need 20 milers as long as we do a medium/hard workout the day before. Probably get the same training effect with a 15-17 miler as with the 20 miler, only less mind numbing and no death march. The reason is during the long run we are aiming to fatigue our Slow twitch muscles, and recruit the fast twitch muscles to function as slow twitch and help in the marathon. If we had done a workout the prior day, we have a certain fatigue built in, and the 17 miler gets the job done.
We'll see how this rationalization of my inability to run 20 miles at one time will affect my marathon.
Also My 17 miler today was about 5 minutes faster than the same distance 2 weeks ago and the weather was a big factor in that, my log may not be entirely accurate as I estimated the distance 2 weeks ago and today was Garmin measured, did run a quarter mile longer today
Shashi... No reversal of directions. Just a mind-numbing 20 laps counterclockwise. Probably a subconscious attempt at self-flagellation. I've heard (and read) all of the theories about running different distances. I just figured it would be simpler to run 20 and not worry about getting scientific. I'm planning on running the Bethel Half Marathon next weekend as my long run, then another 20-miler the following week, and then the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon (13.1) the following week as I taper down. That's too many races probably but I seem to be able to pump myself up for getting a little speed going in the races as opposed to jogging those long runs. It's probably not a great plan but maybe it'll work. At this point I'm just wanting to finish the marathon without embarrassing myself.
Nothing wrong with that plan, except I have a hard time running once I get over the 2:30 mark, could just be that I have never run farther than 17 miles. I may do a 20 miler in the next 2-3 weeks just for confidence purpose.