Monthly Archives: December 2013

2013 in review

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

WordPress publishes these year-end stats for me.  My brother-in-law asked me the other day what websites I frequent the most.  My homepage is set to the WSJ because I subscribe to both the print and digital editions.  My other top pages are facebook, Fidelity (I track my 401K more and more the closer I get to retirement), dictionary.com (yes I suck at spelling but I try) and my WordPress stats.  I’m addicted to reading my stats like some people read the box scores each day in the Sports pages.

Readers are of course anonymous but I find the stats interesting nonetheless.  I especially like to review people’s search terms.  Runner’s Porn was high but less so than strassburg sock.  Explain that.  And my top 4 most read posts were written before 2013 – my SEI has been steadily growing with the search engines.  I suspect only other bloggers would find stats interesting enough to click on the link to review.  And that’s fine.  Comment with a link to your year-end stats.  I’d like to see them.

Texas Road Trip

27 Friday Dec 2013

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ArmadilloGot in a final nine mile jaunt around Town Lake today.  Fixin’ to dine at Molcas – a really nice family run Tex-Mex in Northwest Hills – for our last supper in Austin.  I should mention we dined last night at Hyde Park Bar & Grill too.  We always make an effort to visit our favorite eateries in Austin.

We’ll be driving early tomorrow morning to Dallas to visit long-time family friends and then head out west on 287 for as far as we can.  I hope to make it past Amarillo but don’t expect to cross the Texas border into New Mexico until Sunday.  As long as that sounds, it’ll be better than the trip down.  I thought I’d re-post this armadillo pic because I saw one cross the road on the drive down at night between Childress and Abilene.  It was as big as a baby black bear.

Actually just returned from Molcas.  Couldn’t finish this post first.  So I’m almost too stuffed with cheese and Bohemias to type.  Papa is playing his victrola for Brittany.  Some WWI era 78 rpm tune.  Brit is pursuing a music degree and is interested in such things.  Her Papa gave her a turntable earlier and she’s been playing 33 rpm vinyl records all day.  Some U2 War, Roberta Flack and her Uncle Steve’s Doctor’s Mob album.

Karen and I just made the decision to not pack the minivan tonight.  Grandma Barbie is dancing the Charleston.  Molcas serves decent frozen ritas.  I wonder how much gear we’ll leave behind when we leave.  I’m guessing multiple iPhone/iPad chargers and some really important jewelry.  See you in Colorado.

The Santa Claus Rally

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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zilker treeFor stock traders, the Santa Claus Rally ends on Jan 3rd.  My 2013 running exploits will end with my vacation on Jan 1st, so I’m giving it my all in a final sprint.  These final days include significant driving time too, so I can’t run every day.  I began with a ten mile run Monday after a half day drive to Austin from Abilene.  I ran this in Round Rock on the BCRT.  After that brutal 2.5 day drive down from Colorado, this was the perfect recovery.  The weather was sunny and 55° or so.  I ran in shorts and layered a long sleeved shirt over a short sleeved shirt.

mom and the boysAn added wrinkle to my last running week is that I only packed my minimalist Merrell trail gloves.  They pack nice because they are so small and light.  The risk is whether or not I can log any real miles in them.  I ran this first ten miles strong but my legs were super fatigued the next day and I could only run six.  I took off Christmas day, as much to recover as due to the time suck.  Even on vacation, not every day can be all about me.  I could have squeezeed in a run but opted for family time.  I figured the recovery day might be smart considering these high impact shoes.

I was ready to go Thursday and ran 4.5 crisp miles on Town Lake.  I park at the boat ramp near Austin High.  The modern Austin downtown cityscape does little to dent my nostalgic mood racing past Auditorium Shores.  I recall running here with my high school buddies thirty years ago.  Or the very first Capitol 10,000 that started on Congress Avenue and ran entirely on the Town Lake trail.  I have great running memories from my high school years.

Matt's El RanchoI think about my past year of running too and on my plans for 2014.  I had my best year ever in terms of strong performances and injury-free running.  I don’t even care to run faster next year, I feel satisfied I’ve reached my target times.  I’d like to be able to maintain my 10K time in the Bolder Boulder and remain in the B starting wave.  That will require some speed work to hold a 7 minute pace for six miles.  I’ve already registered for the Austin Marathon in February and the Moab Half Marathon in March.  I’d like to run the marathon in about 3:45 but will be happy with anything under 4 hours.  I don’t think I have any time goals for Moab but will want to race against any of my other neighbors who are going too.  Lastly, I’m certain I want to run either or both the IPR and Durango Ultra again next year.  Those are my plans.  Mostly just looking to maintain consistency with this year and stay healthy.  These photos are all family pics taken over the holidays in Austin.  Happy new years.

Fat Face

20 Friday Dec 2013

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profileMy fat face might not really show here unless you click on the picture to enlarge the view.  Honestly, I feel as trim as I’ve been in twenty years.  I can’t explain that fat face.  I was in a conversation with Susan at our Christmas party the other night and she made the statement that I don’t have a runner’s body.  I forget where she was going with that.  I probably didn’t let her finish.  I remember my response.  I know my leg length is less than optimal.  Oh, and I have a bit of a paunch.  But I have 40 years of experience that gives me good running form.  My college track coach used to film me running quarter mile intervals for his Kinesiology class because he believed I had perfect running form.  My calves are oddly large – a product of running on my fore foot.  And my cardio system might have a predisposition for aerobic sports.  Not only is my resting heart rate under 50 beats per minute, but my 23andme DNA results suggest I’m a natural aerobic athlete.

I guess the fat face and double chin just come with age.  That’s fine.  So is the paunch.  The last thing I care to look like is a malnourished Mr. Gumby.  I know I don’t have the perfect runner’s body, but I feel like a runner.  I am a runner.  I read lots of running blogs and some writers suggest what a runner is and who isn’t a runner.  I’m no different, I too have a definition of a runner.  If you run, and it’s more than just a workout but something you rather enjoy – then you’re a runner.  I’m still ecstatic that I got back into running 5 or 6 years ago.

Ran today on the Eagle Trail in 27° and zero wind.  I totally over dressed.  It was well below 20° earlier in the day but warmed up once I hit the trail.  That kept me from running faster and farther but it still felt so nice to get out of my basement and off the elliptical.  There’s so much more gravity in the real world, my legs felt the difference in impact.  Two day drive to Austin tomorrow so today will be it for awhile.  Looking forward to running some of my favorite trails in Austin.

Elliptical

16 Monday Dec 2013

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Elliptical gym machineI just completed day one of my new winter regimen of training on an elliptical in the basement.  The plan is to run – err train – on the elliptical after work each day from 5 to 6.  PM – Karen trains on it in the AM.  We’ve owned this equipment for years but I’ve never adapted it into my workouts until now.

I hauled it into my office the other day so I can watch TV.  If I can’t look up at the snow laden peaks of the Front Range, I want to view the evening News.  As much as I’d rather train outdoors, I need to accept reality.  A week shy of winter solstice, there isn’t enough daylight.  The last time I tried training through the winter for a February marathon, my race results were a disaster.  I elected to run during lunch, but of course could only squeeze in about 3 miles given the time crunch.  I can tell you now that 3 miles per day is not a very smart training program for a marathon.  I don’t know that training on an elliptical is much better, but at least I will be able to put in the hours.  The obvious downside is the lack of high-impact, but maybe that will be a plus in terms of keeping my legs healthy.

I’ll still run for reals on the weekend.  And I’ll focus on ultra long runs.  Not the next two weekends though as I’ll be driving to Austin and back for the holidays.  The marathon is the same one I ran in 2011 – the Austin Marathon – and is on February 16th.  I already have my ticket to fly down the day after Valentines.  That gives me a good 7 weeks of elliptical training.  This will be interesting.

A Fast 5K

14 Saturday Dec 2013

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TeamI drive to Fort Collins this morning with Coach Jabe and her large team.  We have 7 in our car, plus another car.  The Jingle Bells 5K raises money for Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Our team raised the 3rd highest amount and qualified us for the VIP tent – which I use to store my gear bag.  That’s Jabe to my right in the Santa outfit.  I run wearing a Santa beard.

I don’t like making commitments to a fast race.  I prefer to make up my race plan after I’ve warmed up in the first mile.  Keith asks me how I plan to run though, and I sort of suggested I was striving for a 5K PR in my last blog.  I tell Keith I am going to run hard enough to beat my best 10K pace of a 7:09 mile.  When Abbie scoots in line with me and suggests she is going to run about 22 minutes, I tell her I will try to keep up.  I am also talking to Tom, a 62 year old in line with me, who said he runs about a 23 minute 5K.  I am in fast company.

I chat a bit with Abbie during the first half mile.  I feel comfortable breathing.  The weather is sunny and in the 40s – perfect for distance running.  I surge a bit ahead of Abbie which suggests to me I might be running too fast.  My pace at the first mile marker is 6:44.  This is fast for me but I feel fine.  This CSU campus course is virtually flat with only a 59 foot elevation gain.  My initial plan was to push the second mile but since I’m considerably under my target I decide to try holding my pace.  I find myself passing quite a number of other runners but am fairly certain I’m not picking up my pace.  The second mile comes in at a 6:46 pace – only 2 seconds off my first mile.

I’m super pleased with this because I still feel quite comfortable.  I determine to forgo a kick and start pushing my pace now to ensure I PR.  I’m confident I can run this third mile in a 7 minute pace.  This will be great because I don’t just want to beat my 10K pace, I want to average under 7 minutes and right now that looks achievable.  I pass about 3 more runners on this last mile, including a lady running with her dog and a kid likely in grade school.  Surprisingly my final mile is in 6:38 and I finish with a 20:49 PR.  This kills my previous best 5K by well over a minute and I even cooled down the last 100 yards rather than putting on a kick.  To make things even better, I win an award for placing 2nd in the masters division which is for everyone 40 and older.

abbie and keithKeith finishes with Abbie and wins his age division in about 22 minutes – exactly what Abbie said she would run.  We all meet up at the Chi Omega sorority house for a fund raiser breakfast.  Home now planning an appetizer for tonight’s Christmas fondue party.  I might just cut up a bunch of celery sticks.  Sort of short on time.

Winter Races

11 Wednesday Dec 2013

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colder bolderTough week for running with five days in a row of below zero lows.  We finally warmed up with a high above freezing on Tuesday.  I know from experience that speeds slow down in colder weather.  I can’t point to a specific line on the barometer.  I suspect it might be more a factor of additional clothing than air temperature.  All very anecdotal and I’m interested in your thoughts.  Speed of course is nearly irrelevant in training, unless you are doing repetitions on the track.  It impacts me in that I schedule shorter distance races in December – 5Ks – and struggle to run a pace faster than my longer distance races from earlier months.  Running faster is never my top agenda but it’s always a goal.  It’s hard to ignore race results.  And it’s just bothersome that I can’t run a shorter distance at a faster pace than a longer distance.

Now, winter doesn’t really start until December 21st.  But I’ve worn tights in my last two races of a cross country 6K and a 5K on the CU campus – picture above.  If I have to wear tights – it’s winter.  These runs were in December at least.  This Saturday’s 5K in Fort Collins won’t be truly winter then either but it will be chilly enough that I expect to wear tights.  Still, I’ll be wearing half the weight in gear I did last weekend.  It’s possible the gear does not affect speed as I think but rather something more complex like oxygen uptake efficiency in colder temperatures.  Any scientists out there?

There could be other factors, more specific to just my experience.  I had dinner last night with a couple of buddies, John and Alan, at the Flagstaff House.  Very nice.  Alan suggested that maybe I don’t warm up enough for 5Ks.  As I think back, maybe I don’t.  I certainly didn’t last weekend because it was friggin cold.  I didn’t go outside until it was time for my wave to start.  Instead I stretched inside the warmth of the fieldhouse, sipping the free coffee like a gentleman runner.  John got me talking about my 5Ks when I was in college.  It suddenly occurred to me that I had the same issue back then.  I rarely ever broke 15 minutes in a 5K, and yet I typically ran the first 3 miles of my 10Ks in 15 minutes.  That’s not the same distance exactly but pretty close.  The only thing I can think of is I might have warmed up better for 10Ks.  That’s my plan then for this weekend.  My goal is to beat my best 10K pace of 7:09.  I’m fairly certain I’m not fast enough to break 7:00 flat, but I should have a shot at 7:05.  Results to follow.

Subzero 5K

07 Saturday Dec 2013

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field houseBrrrr, -4°!  The car is parked in the garage, but I have a detached carriage house and have to walk a dozen steps outside.  It’s 6:30 am Saturday and I’m headed to the CU campus to run the aptly named Colder Bolder 5K.  I prepped for this event by running 3 miles Wednesday after work in 7°, which with an 8 mph wind and 85% humidity felt like -6°.  I ran another 4 miles on Eagle Trail Friday, again in 7°.

It warms up to -1° at 7:55 am when my wave starts.  I shouldn’t have to tell you I’m wearing tights, but underneath I’m wearing Under Armour running long johns and compression socks.  Lost count of how many shirts I’ve layered on.  I expect the campus streets and sidewalks to be clear of ice and snow, but prefer the traction of my trail shoes to that of my street racing flats just in case.  I also have on my North Face running mittens and the ski cap provided in the swag bag.  The race director announces a record cold temperature for this event and fires the starting gun.

Only my face is cold.  I couldn’t find my balaclava.  My cheeks become numb soon enough though.  The course leads down slope the first half mile and back up to the mile point.  The way this event works is you get an invite to run in a wave with others who had similar finish times in the 2013 Bolder Boulder 10K.  There are no age divisions and most of my wave appears to be college age.  Not surprising since this race is on campus.  There are only 23 runners in my wave.  I settle into a pace near the back and run a 7:04 mile.  About what I would expect to run in better weather.

I think I’m holding my pace but slow down 20 seconds for a 7:24 second mile.  The course is a series of up and down slopes.  I surge a bit on the downhills but feel the uphills.  Snow and ice cover sections of the course so my trail shoes are a good call.  I find myself in a bit of a race with a 5 foot tall girl with super long, shiny black hair.  I find out later in the results her name is Emily and only 13 years old.  She tells me nice job when I pass her but she passes me back before the 2 mile mark.  We pass a few runners and I gain on her in the kick but finish behind her in 22:59 with a 7:32 final mile and 7:24 overall pace.

I think the slow pace is more due to being weighed down with all the gear than the cold per se.  We finish in the field house so I take off some of my wet shirts and enjoy a Dale’s Pale Ale while watching the other runners kick in.  I beat one of the 50 year old guys on the Revolution Running Team who beat me a few weeks earlier in the 6K Cross Country race.  That’s all I need to call this race a success.  I eat breakfast at the Golden Buff where they have 99¢ bloody marys.  And I quaff a Coronita during my 11am haircut.  Winter drinking rules are in effect for Colorado.

Karen’s Aunt Sandy passed away the other day and it’s a somber weekend around here.  Karen bought last minute airfare to Austin for the funeral.  After waiting on hold for 45 minutes with Frontier, she discovered they don’t offer bereavement fares.  They still cost half of what United charges.  It will be good for her to spend time with her cousins.  Next up is the Jingle Bell 5K in Fort Collins next weekend.  Sign up if you want to raise money for Rheumatoid Arthritis.  The weather can’t help but be warmer.

One Hundred Miles

01 Sunday Dec 2013

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Left Hand TrailAfter running 50 miles in 5 days during the first half of my vacation, targeting 100 miles over the full 10 days seemed like a good idea.  I lost confidence when my left knee began to hurt.  I slowed down my pace with a 6 mile run on the 7th day.  This seemed to help, enough to where I ran 14 miles on the 8th day to catch back up.  That apres-run recovery required an ibuprofen.  I should take vitamin-I more often, it really does the trick.  I ran an 8 mile trail run with Keith and Jen yesterday, pictured here on Left Hand Trail, and closed out the 10 day training plan with 13 miles today for a full 100 miles.  Actually, 101.

I’ll change up my training program tomorrow with shorter runs.  The next two weekends include relatively short 5K races.  With DST over and less daylight available for running, my distance will necessarily decrease.  I’ll leverage this by working on my speed.  My recorded 5K race pace is currently slower than my 10K pace.  Not too unusual for older runners, it takes us a mile or two to build momentum.  Something I want to work on though.  My goal is to run under a 7 minute per mile pace for a 5K.  I’ll have two shots at it before Christmas.  My expectation is for a quicker time in the second event as my muscles learn how to run faster.  All things being equal.  Speed is learned.  The weather could play a factor and I don’t know if that course in Fort Collins is flat or hilly.  The CU campus course next weekend has some slopes but nothing too steep.

Not sure how I’ll work on speed exactly but I’m looking forward to it.  I’m fairly fatigued from this 100 mile surge.  Oddly enough I ran my best pace of the last 10 days today with almost every mile under 8 minutes.  I was dead yesterday though running a 9 minute pace.  I know from past surges that I need to back off once my knees begin to hurt.  In a sense, it’s positive feedback that I’ve trained hard.  Whether it’s track or football, my money is always on the athlete who is at 95% over the one at 100%.

I’ve been thinking about my goals for next year.  Besides needing to be prepared for a marathon in February, I really just want to maintain.  I achieved modern day PRs this year at the 10K and half marathon distances.  If things work out, I’ll do so in the 5K too.  If I have an improved speed goal next year it will be to best my time in the Bolder Boulder 10K, perhaps sprint up that final hill on Folsom.  Otherwise I’ll take another year of avoiding injury and running a few competitive events.  Nothing wrong with consistency.  I’ve maintained my weight at 175 pounds for close to 2 years now.  I know health charts would have me at 165 for my height, but at least I’m not gaining pounds anymore.  Unless of course I’m starting to shrink due to old age.  I received numerous comments this year from people suggesting I’ve lost weight.  Apparently my body has shape-shifted somewhat, but I’ve been quite steady at 175.  I still have a paunch that is atypical of a marathoner, but it’s flattened slightly.  I’m starting to tuck my shirt in more often.

The vacation training blitz is over.  I’ll still be able to get some distance in on the weekends.  I have Fridays off all month and my Christmas shopping is half complete.  With two more events planned, I shouldn’t call it done, but starting to look ahead into next year.