Once upon a time and years ago, I ran 5ks. They were fun, they were hard. I ran in the rain, I ran in the snow, I ran when it was 90+, I ran when it was under 30. I also ran a couple of 8ks in the dark in Maggie Valley, NC. It was fun and there were many opportunities to race and places to run. I rarely won, but who cared. It was a battle against the clock for me. I started off running the Salem 5k race in 2002 in 31:09, and best I can remember one of my best times was 29:11. I seem to remember my last race being 28:54. I know I broke 29 minutes. So what changed? Plantar Fascitis and night shift. Yup, got two bad feet and a shift where I was up and going all night long. The feets were unhappy and running became unfun. This is when I turned to cycling.
For some reason, the racing season seemed all messed up this year. There were fewer races and some that I couldn't get to. Several races landed on the same weekend. It also seemed like we had perpetual rain. I guess I have some competitive genes or something. I feel like I need to do something else this year. I had hoped to ride my road bike on a metric century (62 miles) before the end of the year, but I haven't ridden my road bike in what seems like forever, so I have postponed that goal until 2010. Maybe I'll get to 75 miles next year. This brings me to the Drumstick (I almost typed Drunkstick) Dash.
Thanksgiving Day, I will return to running after a many-year hiatus. I have been trying to walk the dog most evenings just to see how my feet are with being on pavement. Last week, I started back running. Let's see that gives me roughly 30 days to get ready. My first run was 1.18 miles and it took me 11:53. Tossed in a bike ride on Tuesday. Then Wednesday night I goofed off in the backyard doing a "Nike iPod" workout. Thursday, I went to the gym, warmed up by walking on the stairmill for about 10 minutes before heading over to the treadmill. I had happily completed a mile+ before Lisa wandered over and decided I needed to run another mile. The goal was to run a mile in 8 minutes. Well, I managed to do it in 8:30. Not so bad. I run slowly on the treadmill, so that was really moving for me.
This morning I decided to see how long it would take me to run a 5k. Off I went making up the route as I went along. I kept a fairly steady pace throughout my run. There were a few hills etc along the way. I did have to walk for about a half a minute around mile 2.5. I needed a break. As I neared my street, I checked my GPS, and it said I had 2/10 mile left, so I picked up the pace a bit. I was able to finish the 5k in 31:10. Not bad really. 10 min/mile pace for me is about where I started off 7 years ago when I started running. The majority of the race results that I can find have me finishing around 30 minutes, so really I'm not that far off. =) I doubt I'll get in a sub-30 minute run, but I'll try.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Upcoming Event...
Thanksgiving Day, I will make my return to running. I haven't run a foot race in many, many years. This is purely for fun and to see if I can finish in a reasonable amount of time. We'll see. If you or someone you know is interested. Here's the link.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Flat.
What a long week. So happy tomorrow is Friday. I am about as flat as the tires on my bikes. Yes, pleural BIKES. Tuesday I was loading up Ritchey to go to the Chicky ride. I found the back tire to be almost flat. I loaded it up anyway and thought if I have time I'll change it. In case there wasn't time, I went back and grabbed Copper, the Single Speed. Off I went to Mill Mountain. When I got there, Paula was already there; so it would be a Single Speed Chicky ride. I quickly popped the flat platforms out of the SPDs and added some air to the tires. Copper has been sitting idle for a while. I use it primarily to run errands and to/from the gym; but haven't ridden it in a few weeks.
We decided on a short loop so that Paula could get to a dinner engagement. If I felt like it, I was going to ride more after she left. So we take of down ZooPoo and Ridgeline Trail. Headed quickly towards Monument, where the climb was a bit of a challenge for me and my 33/18 geared SS. I made it though without getting off, falling over or stopping. Aimed the bike down the trail on the descent. A bit of a bumpy ride, but plenty of fun. I felt like I was zooming pretty good, passed the Star Trail intersection, down the next little steep and suddenly, squish-a, squish-a, squish. "YOU'VE GOT TO BE F'ING KIDDING ME???" Sure enough the back tire on the single speed was now flat. PITA!!! I don't have a quick release on the back of this bike, so I carry a 14mm ratchet wrench with me. I didn't want to hold Paula up and urged her to continue without me, but she wouldn't leave me. I set off to change the tube. The rims on this bike have a small channel on the inside edge which makes tire removal a bitch. After using Paula's tire levers, the tube change was easy. I have the same set in my other camel back, but for some odd reason I took them out of the one I was using and haven't replaced them. Add that to the to do list.
After replacing the tire, we finished out Monument Trail then headed up the old road. I thought I was going to croak, but amazingly enough I was able to pedal all the way to the Car Trail. Here I had to walk the steep up section, which was fine with me. We ran into one of my coworkers, chatted a few minutes then continued on. I finally got tired of pedalling just shy of the switchback on Riser. I wasn't able to ride the switchback today. Oh well. same story on Ridgeline - got most of the way around the switchback before having to put a foot down.
I think our ride was like 50 minutes, I could have changed the tire on Ritchey and rode more; or continued on Copper, but I really didn't want to ride alone for some reason. I packed my stuff up and headed out. As I got off of the interstate to go home, I decided to go put some time in at the the gym. So about 45 minute of mountainbiking followed by 50 minutes of spinning at the gym - not bad I guess!
Since then it's been raining and cold. YUK!!!! I've been to the gym two nights in a row. The aches are beginning to set in. Oh well tomorrow's Friday, I can cope.
We decided on a short loop so that Paula could get to a dinner engagement. If I felt like it, I was going to ride more after she left. So we take of down ZooPoo and Ridgeline Trail. Headed quickly towards Monument, where the climb was a bit of a challenge for me and my 33/18 geared SS. I made it though without getting off, falling over or stopping. Aimed the bike down the trail on the descent. A bit of a bumpy ride, but plenty of fun. I felt like I was zooming pretty good, passed the Star Trail intersection, down the next little steep and suddenly, squish-a, squish-a, squish. "YOU'VE GOT TO BE F'ING KIDDING ME???" Sure enough the back tire on the single speed was now flat. PITA!!! I don't have a quick release on the back of this bike, so I carry a 14mm ratchet wrench with me. I didn't want to hold Paula up and urged her to continue without me, but she wouldn't leave me. I set off to change the tube. The rims on this bike have a small channel on the inside edge which makes tire removal a bitch. After using Paula's tire levers, the tube change was easy. I have the same set in my other camel back, but for some odd reason I took them out of the one I was using and haven't replaced them. Add that to the to do list.
After replacing the tire, we finished out Monument Trail then headed up the old road. I thought I was going to croak, but amazingly enough I was able to pedal all the way to the Car Trail. Here I had to walk the steep up section, which was fine with me. We ran into one of my coworkers, chatted a few minutes then continued on. I finally got tired of pedalling just shy of the switchback on Riser. I wasn't able to ride the switchback today. Oh well. same story on Ridgeline - got most of the way around the switchback before having to put a foot down.
I think our ride was like 50 minutes, I could have changed the tire on Ritchey and rode more; or continued on Copper, but I really didn't want to ride alone for some reason. I packed my stuff up and headed out. As I got off of the interstate to go home, I decided to go put some time in at the the gym. So about 45 minute of mountainbiking followed by 50 minutes of spinning at the gym - not bad I guess!
Since then it's been raining and cold. YUK!!!! I've been to the gym two nights in a row. The aches are beginning to set in. Oh well tomorrow's Friday, I can cope.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
1st Montvale Mayhem
Kenny Palmer is my hero. He builds awesome trails and hosts fun events. I will go to any and every Kenny Palmer event from now until the time I can pedal no more! I guess I have a liking for Bedford County trails so much since my only two Sport level wins have come at those parks. The 2008 Fat Tire Frenzy found me beating my future friend, Gina Gilbert by 3 seconds. Yesterday was quite different.
This was Kenny's first race at the Montvale Trails. The trail system is fairly new and small, I think he says there is 6.5 miles of trail there. So how do you have a race on short trails? Loops and grassy fields. Kenny really likes grass. You won't go to a KP event and not get to ride in a grassy field at some point. =) It's like his trademark. This race would have us starting off in grass then going up the gravel driveway that serves as the entrance to the parking area. A left into a freshly, close cut mowed field. Across the hill around this giant animal hole, down through and around a grassy field. HA HA HA, sounds like cyclocross. I'd better shut up or he might throw that in at some point. Once you hit the single track, the trails are quite fun. Contrary to my last visit, I didn't crash on the singletrack, well at least I didn't crash at my own doing (more on that later). I also must have found some hidden of courage because I rode many of the log hops and even rode the skinny bridge on the way out. The trails are funny as it was hard to keep an idea of where you were, and at many times during the race you could look up or down and see the people you were racing. You could also hear people talking during the race, but not see them. I like it when people talk to me during the race (more on that later).
So anyway at the start of the race there were a bunch of Sport males, a couple of single speeds then there was me and a 13 year old chick. At the start, I just decided to take my time up the hill and onto the single track so I could get used to what I was doing again. Well everyone took off like bats out of hell including the 13 year old. So here I am next to last...*&%#, not where I want to be, nor do I like the idea of losing to a child. So I settle into a smooth rhythm and pace that I can handle on the trails. Up, down, right, left, pedal pedal pedal. You get the idea. Of course, Gina is there as a course marshall and she cheers me on, as does her husband Josh. YAY, thanks guys!!!
I see no one to chase until I get to Beale's Treasure - "the only real climb in the race." What a PITA this would become. So thankfully, I've been riding and climbing quite a bit of late, so the first trip up wasn't so bad. I was able to ride it pretty successfully and gained time on people here. I finally caught sight of the 13y/o and would keep her in sight for a while. We looped around to start lap 2 (the loop was just after the sketchy bridge). So on the way up Beale's the 2nd time, I again gained on the 13y/o and another sport male. I was right on the 13y/o rear wheel as we paralleled Quarterwood Rd. After passing through the parking lot, I asked her I could get around. I'm bigger and my best skill on my bike, is going downhill and she was going to hold me up and keep me from enjoying the downhill singletrack. She never said a word and kept riding right in the middle of the trail. I was a tad frustrated by this, but then again she was in 1st; I saw an opening on a straight stretch of trail, yelled out "ON YOUR RIGHT "and went on by her.
After a couple of turns, I could hear an Expert rider behind me (Gordon had already passed), so I told them to hang on and I'd get out of the way. I soon went to the right, and said, "GO LEFT." He yelled, "THANKS" and came by, well my guess is that the 13y/o decided to ride his wheel on the downhill because as soon as he went by I went back left into the trail where I got nailed by the kid. We both crashed rather hard. I thought my wrist was broken because I landed on it in a weird way. More than anything I was PISSED. I have crashed on my own before and that's ok, but getting wiped out by an inexperienced person was no fun. I got up, gathered my thoughts, grabbed the bike to get going again. I told her to go on, ride her race and not worry about it. She was upset, but I assured her to go. I let her go for a bit because she was squirrely at this point. She attempted to ride a couple of logs and each time wiped out. At one point, I stopped behind her picked up her bike and helped her get going again. I cautioned her to calm down and ride her pace.
At lap 3, I could tell I was getting tired. In fact, when I go to Beale's for the third time, I just got off and walked. My wrist and hand were aching. I figured I could walk up it just as quick. Again the 13y/o had gotten away from me. I just kept moving forward. I passed Josh at his checkpoint, he said, "you're only 30-40 seconds back from them." I thought he was talking about the girl. I was like, ok. So I did pick it up a bit and rode harder. I did catch up to the girl, who by now I think had gotten really tired. I passed her and kept on going. Then I caught up to Kristin C. who I never beat and who had started 2 minutes before me. She was stopped just past the huge log stack. I stopped for a sec to check then we went on together. I eventually got ahead of her too. Once I got back to the turnaround point it was time to go left and be done. I chickened out on the turn into the bridge and just walked it.
I kept thinking Kristin was going to catch me especially when the trail went up again. My legs were dying a slow, agonizing death by now. It hurt to pedal and all I could think was I still have to get back through that grassy field. I got back to the creek crossing and made it safely across. YAY! Back into the field. By now my left tricep started to cramp (ODD!?!?), so I ended up riding one handed for a few minutes so I could shake that. Up the hill, across. I was so glad to make the final right hand turn to go downhill. I stuck it in the big chainring and pedalled for all I was worth through the finish line. All I could think at this point was - this is just like our sprints to the parking lot at the Cove. HA HA HA. YAY!
What a fun race! I really enjoyed the day. I will definitely plan to go back and ride at Montvale some more. I want to try the trails in the other direction especially Beale's since Kenny says that is the better way to ride it. If nothing else, the day was so much fun because we got to just hang out and talk. The races this year have been too few and too far in between. I may race at Pandapas on the 25th. I may not. I will decide after the aches of that wreck subside. The tally for that incident: aching wrist, small cut and bruise to left shin, bruise on right ribs, sore shoulders(?) and neck. Lesson learned for me: when you pass them leave them behind quickly. Lesson for others: friggin communicate!!!!
Our team had a great showing. Paula was 1st in expert female, Laura was 2nd. Adam finished 2nd in sport male. I think Chris had a flat. =( Thanks also to Angelia and Warren for being there to support us!!!
This was Kenny's first race at the Montvale Trails. The trail system is fairly new and small, I think he says there is 6.5 miles of trail there. So how do you have a race on short trails? Loops and grassy fields. Kenny really likes grass. You won't go to a KP event and not get to ride in a grassy field at some point. =) It's like his trademark. This race would have us starting off in grass then going up the gravel driveway that serves as the entrance to the parking area. A left into a freshly, close cut mowed field. Across the hill around this giant animal hole, down through and around a grassy field. HA HA HA, sounds like cyclocross. I'd better shut up or he might throw that in at some point. Once you hit the single track, the trails are quite fun. Contrary to my last visit, I didn't crash on the singletrack, well at least I didn't crash at my own doing (more on that later). I also must have found some hidden of courage because I rode many of the log hops and even rode the skinny bridge on the way out. The trails are funny as it was hard to keep an idea of where you were, and at many times during the race you could look up or down and see the people you were racing. You could also hear people talking during the race, but not see them. I like it when people talk to me during the race (more on that later).
So anyway at the start of the race there were a bunch of Sport males, a couple of single speeds then there was me and a 13 year old chick. At the start, I just decided to take my time up the hill and onto the single track so I could get used to what I was doing again. Well everyone took off like bats out of hell including the 13 year old. So here I am next to last...*&%#, not where I want to be, nor do I like the idea of losing to a child. So I settle into a smooth rhythm and pace that I can handle on the trails. Up, down, right, left, pedal pedal pedal. You get the idea. Of course, Gina is there as a course marshall and she cheers me on, as does her husband Josh. YAY, thanks guys!!!
I see no one to chase until I get to Beale's Treasure - "the only real climb in the race." What a PITA this would become. So thankfully, I've been riding and climbing quite a bit of late, so the first trip up wasn't so bad. I was able to ride it pretty successfully and gained time on people here. I finally caught sight of the 13y/o and would keep her in sight for a while. We looped around to start lap 2 (the loop was just after the sketchy bridge). So on the way up Beale's the 2nd time, I again gained on the 13y/o and another sport male. I was right on the 13y/o rear wheel as we paralleled Quarterwood Rd. After passing through the parking lot, I asked her I could get around. I'm bigger and my best skill on my bike, is going downhill and she was going to hold me up and keep me from enjoying the downhill singletrack. She never said a word and kept riding right in the middle of the trail. I was a tad frustrated by this, but then again she was in 1st; I saw an opening on a straight stretch of trail, yelled out "ON YOUR RIGHT "and went on by her.
After a couple of turns, I could hear an Expert rider behind me (Gordon had already passed), so I told them to hang on and I'd get out of the way. I soon went to the right, and said, "GO LEFT." He yelled, "THANKS" and came by, well my guess is that the 13y/o decided to ride his wheel on the downhill because as soon as he went by I went back left into the trail where I got nailed by the kid. We both crashed rather hard. I thought my wrist was broken because I landed on it in a weird way. More than anything I was PISSED. I have crashed on my own before and that's ok, but getting wiped out by an inexperienced person was no fun. I got up, gathered my thoughts, grabbed the bike to get going again. I told her to go on, ride her race and not worry about it. She was upset, but I assured her to go. I let her go for a bit because she was squirrely at this point. She attempted to ride a couple of logs and each time wiped out. At one point, I stopped behind her picked up her bike and helped her get going again. I cautioned her to calm down and ride her pace.
At lap 3, I could tell I was getting tired. In fact, when I go to Beale's for the third time, I just got off and walked. My wrist and hand were aching. I figured I could walk up it just as quick. Again the 13y/o had gotten away from me. I just kept moving forward. I passed Josh at his checkpoint, he said, "you're only 30-40 seconds back from them." I thought he was talking about the girl. I was like, ok. So I did pick it up a bit and rode harder. I did catch up to the girl, who by now I think had gotten really tired. I passed her and kept on going. Then I caught up to Kristin C. who I never beat and who had started 2 minutes before me. She was stopped just past the huge log stack. I stopped for a sec to check then we went on together. I eventually got ahead of her too. Once I got back to the turnaround point it was time to go left and be done. I chickened out on the turn into the bridge and just walked it.
I kept thinking Kristin was going to catch me especially when the trail went up again. My legs were dying a slow, agonizing death by now. It hurt to pedal and all I could think was I still have to get back through that grassy field. I got back to the creek crossing and made it safely across. YAY! Back into the field. By now my left tricep started to cramp (ODD!?!?), so I ended up riding one handed for a few minutes so I could shake that. Up the hill, across. I was so glad to make the final right hand turn to go downhill. I stuck it in the big chainring and pedalled for all I was worth through the finish line. All I could think at this point was - this is just like our sprints to the parking lot at the Cove. HA HA HA. YAY!
What a fun race! I really enjoyed the day. I will definitely plan to go back and ride at Montvale some more. I want to try the trails in the other direction especially Beale's since Kenny says that is the better way to ride it. If nothing else, the day was so much fun because we got to just hang out and talk. The races this year have been too few and too far in between. I may race at Pandapas on the 25th. I may not. I will decide after the aches of that wreck subside. The tally for that incident: aching wrist, small cut and bruise to left shin, bruise on right ribs, sore shoulders(?) and neck. Lesson learned for me: when you pass them leave them behind quickly. Lesson for others: friggin communicate!!!!
Our team had a great showing. Paula was 1st in expert female, Laura was 2nd. Adam finished 2nd in sport male. I think Chris had a flat. =( Thanks also to Angelia and Warren for being there to support us!!!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Hmmm
Might have to try this:
Yea, that's my leg... Tuesday night vs rocks on Songbird. I think the rocks won. Ya think the candle adhesive would keep my ass on the saddle?
To prevent this:
Yea, that's my leg... Tuesday night vs rocks on Songbird. I think the rocks won. Ya think the candle adhesive would keep my ass on the saddle?
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