Running For My Life

InStep Racing Team after Superun 5K

Tonight’s Superun 5K was my third 5K in the last 8 days and in all three I ran my slowest 5K times of the year.  Normally I would be worried that age is starting to catch up to me, but considering I ran two marathons in the past two months and that all three races were in the evening, I am not too concerned.  I don’t run well in the evening races, probably because my legs are used to the 5 a.m. starts.

The highlight of this night was the post-run party.  There were about 17 members of my racing team there and everyone had a great time.  There was an abundance of free beer for the runners and the setting was great - Lake Park on Milwaukee’s East Side.  The Superun has now earned the title of my favorite race of the summer!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/24/2009
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 00:19:27.00
• Calories: 384
• Distance: 3.1 miles
• Average Pace: 6:16.57/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/24/2009
• Time: 18:00:00
• Total Time: 00:16:20.00
• Calories: 247
• Distance: 2 miles
• Average Pace: 8:09.8/mile

I did a short “day before a race” 5-miler in the 80+ degree temps, which is pretty hot for 5:30 a.m.  I felt great though….my legs were much faster than yesterday.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/23/2009
• Time: 15:29:20
• Total Time: 00:40:40.00
• Calories: 615
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Pace: 8:07.8/mile

I typically use Mondays to do recovery runs, which I do at a nice slow pace.  But then again, I am usually doing 20+ mile runs on Saturday, and it takes a few days to recover from those runs.  But this Saturday, I only ran 5 miles.  So why was I running in slow motion this morning?  Maybe it’s a Monday morning thing (no wonder why I ran the Boston Marathon so slow….they hold that on a Monday morning!).  Or maybe it was because of the opressive heat these days….

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/22/2009
• Time: 05:00:00
• Total Time: 1:23:52.00
• Calories: 1268
• Distance: 10 miles
• Average Pace: 8:23.5/mile

Not a bad race….finished 7th overall, 1st in age group.  My 19:06 time was about 30 seconds too slow, but temps were in the mid 80s and that definitely slowed me down, especially in the final miles.  I hit the Mile 1 mark in 5:45 and the miles got slower from there.  After the race, the beers tasted great and the sausage sandwich was fantastic.  This is the second straight year I have done this event and will make sure to put it on my calendar next year.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/20/2009
• Time: 17:00:00
• Total Time: 00:19:06.00
• Calories: 377
• Distance: 3.1 miles
• Average Pace: 6:09.61/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/20/2009
• Time: 16:00:00
• Total Time: 00:16:15.00
• Calories: 246
• Distance: 2 miles
• Average Pace: 8:07.8/mile

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 06/20/2009
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 00:50:22.00
• Calories: 397
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 16:48.4/mile

We are experiencing a bit of Miami weather here in Wisconsin.  During my run this morning, the skies would open up with rain, then stop 45 seconds later, and then the cycle would start over again.  No complaints here….I’ll take rain over snow any time!

I just went 5 miles again this morning…only short runs this week.  I figure just coming off a marathon and with two 5K races (Wed. and Sat.) that I would go light on the mileage.  Next week I plan to resume the “heavy lifting” with a 55-mile week, and will build from there.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/19/2009
• Time: 05:30:00
• Total Time: 00:40:37.00
• Calories: 614
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Pace: 8:07.14/mile

I had intended on running 5 miles this morning, then changed my mind as I went to bed at midnight last night, which is about 3 hours later than I normally go to bed.  I figured since I ran a race last night and went to bed so late, I could use a few extra hours of sleep.  But I was awoken at 4:15 a.m. by one of my sons (who is sick) and when I couldn’t go back to sleep, I decided to lace up the running shoes and get the 5 miles in afterall.  I would much rather run than sleep anyway!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/18/2009
• Time: 05:30:00
• Total Time: 00:42:02.00
• Calories: 636
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Pace: 8:24.2/mile

The race organizers for this event didn’t seem to mind that the course was one-third of a mile too long.  It was the same last year.  Apparently they didn’t get enough complaints to change it, although I am sure that won’t be the case next time.  After the race, runners were fuming about the distance….and about having to dodge cars on the course….and and about the lack of shirt or anything else of value (the best thing we got in our goodie bag was a cheap water bottle!).

As for the race itself, boy were there some fast runners in the field.  I was 20th overall in 21:02, which was a slow (for me) 6:11 pace.  I crossed the real 5K (3.1 mile) point in 19:10, which is a full 30 seconds slower than my most recent 5K times.  Not sure why I was lagging behind….I guess it was just one of those nights.  I will have an opportunity to redeem myself on Saturday at the Delafield Block Party 5K.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/17/2009
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 00:21:02.00
• Calories: 415
• Distance: 3.4 miles
• Average Pace: 6:11.13/mile