Masters Running

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PW by 12 minutes in measly half marathon (Read 346 times)


MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

    Intrepid summary - Super Jock ‘n’ Jill Running Store Half Marathon (9/1/2008) 2:11:20 (PW) AG - 20/27 Sex - 397/454 OA - 685/884 They never had half marathons when I first started running marathons in 1977 (I wonder when the first one was?). When they did, the shorter distance was never of much interest for my group of weekend fitness runners trying to keep in shape for winter skiing and always looking for longer and harder events. marathons/MtMarathon/tri's/etc.)>>> However, after they started getting popular and after my overlooking the halfies for so long, when I started running barefoot for more than just summertime nice day events, I fell in love with the barefoot-friendly out-and-back of the Super Jock’nJill Half Mary on the smooth asphalt of a local bike path. Soon thereafter, however, increased entries moved the out part to less friendly-to-my-soles roadways but the return along the Sammamish Slough still made it worthwhile. Plus, there was also a stretch of smooth tiles around mile 5 through the University of Washington Bothell campus that made me feel like Abebe Bikila. Weekend running usually gets me in pretty good shape by Labor Day so, while another barefoot-friendly half mary that starts off my running year every March has always been in the 2hr/30min - three hour range, the JnJ has always been sub-two hour so far but getting closer and closer to two hours (1:59:39 last year). In particular, with the summer’s 5K’s being about 4-5 minutes slower than usual this year, I;ve been pretty much resigned to getting a big PW for the fall half mary too. My one salvation was thinking that local goddess enke’s excellent recent powerful running this summer might translate into a well-deserved sub-2 PR for her too. Unfortunately, when we strategized at the start, she still wasn’t fully recovered at all from the week’s stomach sickness but still hoped to start out at a 2:07 PR pace and see what happens. It was a wise decision as, though it seemed cool and the bulk of runners wore long sleeved shirts (one had gloves!), the high clouds hiding the weekend’s sun had turned the air to as humid a sauna as it ever gets around here. FR/spit warning - cool rock’nroll marathon tri-mesh trunks and singlet didn’t stop me from losing three pounds in the outdoor sauna and I couldn’t figure out all the roadway spittle I didn’t want to step on until figuring out it was really just splotches of everyone’s dripping sweat. Left to my own devices, I started out the first five miles at a 9:00 pace with 30 second walk breaks every mile to try to put some time in the bank but the inevitable slippage soon made for a 10:00m/m pace for miles 5-10 and then 11m/m for the next two miles before fizzling big to 13m/m for the last one and 2:11:20 finish. It just doesn’t seem right that no matter what the event distance is, it always seems about a mile too long for my legs. However, that's just the way it should be for knowing it was about perfect for maximum exercise purposes; I sure could never have run 13.1 miles on my own like that without the incentive of friends like enke and everyone else doing their best. I guess I must not have been looking too great at the finish flopped out on the grass but a lift back in enke’s cute little chartreuse bug served to lift my spirts too and I’m already looking forward to trying to fend off similar ebbing in next month’s fall tenK clock time too by trying to chase her down again. ps to self - bring camera this time.

    "Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)

      O yig, conditions sound most unpleasant. I say you can put an asterisk next to this one and chalk it up as due to horrid weather. BTW, before my race on Monday, I was talking with a young woman from North Carolina who'd moved to Colorado not too long ago. We were talking about the effects of altitude and heat. She said she'd returned home recently and was surprised at how much the humidity slowed her down. And she's born and bred there--said she felt as if she couldn't breathe at all evenly, altho running significantly more slowly than she does in Colorado. Miss you! grins, A
      Masters 2000 miles
      Franc59


      Half Fanatic #36

        Jon, I'm heading out to the trail now and retrace your steps on those last few miles of the SJJ. Sorry to read that my daily course didn't bring a better finish time , but I'm sure it was fun hanging out with Karen ,and keeping the tradition of the same race throughout the years. .. what...? no pictures!!!!? I still can't believe it , though ,that I missed this race... Francesca
        xor


          Sorry I didn't see you there, Jon! I had never done this race before this year... I have to admit that the middle section through UWB was nuts, what with runners going in all different directions. In one section, two totally different groups of runners were seemingly headed back towards me, but on either side - aka, two different parts of the course. That whole section seemed a bit surreal to me. When it comes time to write my report, I have no idea how to describe it. Pretzel, I guess. Anyway, it was a slower day for me too for medical reasons. Pretty day for running in general, though. You were hot... I was cold. And no, that's not because I was in front of you. Unless it is 80, I'm cold. And I had gloves on at the start Big grin. I wore two shirts, one long sleeve one short, for the whole race. Bummed that there was no free beer at the end. (for people who don't know... no, I don't normally expect beer at a half. But this one started and finished at the Red Hook Brewery. Literally.) Not every day is a great day. But hopefully you still had some fun. And we didn't get rained on.

           


          #artbydmcbride

            Humidity and dancing around blobs of spittle is bound to slow you down some, sweet tetsujin. I am glad you are healthy and out racing and having a good time. Your speedy finishs will be back. Smile

             

            Runners run

              Tet - we were smart in our clothing choices at least! Crap, I can't beleive the results are up already...I am too afraid to look. Perhaps next year....it could be a PR course, but it could also be a lot hotter/sunnier on Sept 1. Lopez - I already used "pretzel" in my RR, but since that is an obvious analogy, I suppose we can share it. The Jamba juice smoothies were a nice surprise in lieu of the beer I expected. And they didn't run out. Tetsujin, I still want to run a 5K sometime, barefoot. You are an inspiration. When I saw you literally bounding away in front of me, like a springy tiger, I knew I had to give this barefoot thing another try.

              "During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."


              King of PhotoShop

                Hey my friend, just chalk it up to another race completed and go nail the next one. Jon, were you always out west? I ran the half marathon (or what you call the "half mary") several times in the mid-70's in the east; they were very popular). You're still an inspiration. Spareribs
                  sounds like it just wasn't a great race day all around -- maybe the moon and stars just weren't lined up properly........but you did it and you finished and best of all you met up with enke!! now next time you guys need to remember a camera!! Wink

                  denise

                  xor


                    Actually Jon, you described it as a 'measly' half. Well, sure. This may be why your time wasn't what you wanted. You can't expect to do well in a race w/ measles.

                     

                      It may have been a PW, tet, but you still did well. You were out there, met with enke, and had a very respectable time. Congrats. TomS
                        2:11:20 (PW)
                        That's what you get for trying to poison me with puffer fish in Seattle last November. Dark Horse
                        I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course.
                        huskydon


                          Tet, Hard to understand how the PNW has turned into a sauna these days. It's hard to run fast times when you're being steamed like a clam. At least you got to meet enke. We'll look forward to your next half marathon, I'm sure you will give two hours a run for the money. huskydon


                          MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

                            Thanks all for all the cheering comments. It's the next best thing to having you all there at the finish. Robert - sorry I missed you (though I might have seen your gloves!), probably along some of the numerous loopty-loops that make you almost laugh going around another corner to find other runners streaming by in the next lane and wondering if you're ahead or behind of them. Your pink singlet is always such an inspiration in so many events and you had a great time in this one too. Any more halfs on the agenda for this year? Unfortunately, last September's Breast Cancer Half Marathon in West Seattle that would be so perfect for you and your singlet has been changed to 5K for this year (9/28) ps - it might not have been the measles but, come to think of it, my right shin was (and still is) all swollen up from wasp bites over the weekend. Enke - contrary to popular belief, it's really easy to run barefoot right away if the surface textures are really smooth (without regard to hardness) such as newly-paved asphalt. Maybe our feet can do a little warm-up/cool-down on the nice new smooth pavement in the first mile of the October Salmon Days 10K out-and-back?
                            Jon, were you always out west? I ran the half marathon (or what you call the "half mary") several times in the mid-70's in the east; they were very popular).
                            Uncle Ribs - Alaska and Japan for the first 20 years with one oddball half in Japan in 1986 but no more until moving to Seattle ten years ago. Incidentally, check out http://www.ontherunevents.com/raceschd.sht for fitting a possible half mary (or what you call the "half marathon") or other event into for your PNW travel schedule so your friends up here can celebrate a run with you, . . . and maybe a nice restaurant. (with diveshief, soundi, srlopez, franci, enke, me and possibly other boomers hopin' to see you, most any pace okay but I hope you'll be back here before you get too fast again). kurouma-san: sorry about mistakenly ordering poisonous puffer fish for you when you were here. have you ever eaten stonefish? Big grin don't tell ribs.
                            I still can't believe it , though ,that I missed this race...
                            now I know what we were missing..Sad amy - www.SeattleRnR.com<>hint/hint)>>>

                            "Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)

                              Rock n' Roll? You know I'm a jazz baby, Jon. Wink
                              Masters 2000 miles


                              MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

                                be my guest - www.jazzalley.com

                                "Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)

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