Characters courtesy of SP Studio
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Long Run for Short Race
Sunday, I ran the Raynham Knights of Columbus 5-Miler. I had run this race in 2007 and kept getting the reminder emails each year since. Currently, I'm training for a long run in May, so I'm following the traditional marathon training regimen - short to middle distance a few times a week with long runs on weekends.
Given this 5-miler was going to be my weekend long run, I had to increase the mileage somehow. I decided to run to the race, run the race and then run home. A straight shot to the starting line was just over 7 miles from my house - easy. I left just over an hour before start time and made it with 10 minutes to register and complete my "warm-up" to an even 8 miles. I toed the starting line with about 2 minutes to race start and took off with the 200+ runners on a cool overcast Sunday morning - perfect running weather.
It's a pretty fast course, not too hilly - with a course record of just under 25 minutes (about the time it takes me to jog a 5k - yikes!). My split times according to the race timers at each mile:
I finished quickly - just under 37 minutes, about 7:24 minutes/mile - to place 34/183 and complete my first half-marathon of the day (8+5).
I wasted little time after crossing the finish line. I pulled on my race T-shirt over my long sleeve running top, topped off my water bottle, ate a Clif Bar and was off running home in about 5 minutes.
I had planned a route home that would meander about Raynham and Taunton to give me another 13 miles before hitting home.
My wife and niece met me on a back road with about 4 miles to go on their way home from swimming. I was able to drop the race T-shirt (soaked from the misty rain at the start of my run home) and get a chicken McNugget - a nice change from the Gu I'd been powering down every 45 minutes.
I finished my marathon in a slow 3:50 but feeling fine. So this past weekend, I ran a marathon ... but only got credit for a 5-miler!
Given this 5-miler was going to be my weekend long run, I had to increase the mileage somehow. I decided to run to the race, run the race and then run home. A straight shot to the starting line was just over 7 miles from my house - easy. I left just over an hour before start time and made it with 10 minutes to register and complete my "warm-up" to an even 8 miles. I toed the starting line with about 2 minutes to race start and took off with the 200+ runners on a cool overcast Sunday morning - perfect running weather.
It's a pretty fast course, not too hilly - with a course record of just under 25 minutes (about the time it takes me to jog a 5k - yikes!). My split times according to the race timers at each mile:
| Mile | Time | Split |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:20 | 7:20 |
| 2 | 15:02 | 7:42 |
| 3 | 22:23 | 7:21 |
| 4 | 29:54 | 7:31 |
| 5 | 36:56 | 7:02 |
I finished quickly - just under 37 minutes, about 7:24 minutes/mile - to place 34/183 and complete my first half-marathon of the day (8+5).
I wasted little time after crossing the finish line. I pulled on my race T-shirt over my long sleeve running top, topped off my water bottle, ate a Clif Bar and was off running home in about 5 minutes.
I had planned a route home that would meander about Raynham and Taunton to give me another 13 miles before hitting home.
My wife and niece met me on a back road with about 4 miles to go on their way home from swimming. I was able to drop the race T-shirt (soaked from the misty rain at the start of my run home) and get a chicken McNugget - a nice change from the Gu I'd been powering down every 45 minutes.
I finished my marathon in a slow 3:50 but feeling fine. So this past weekend, I ran a marathon ... but only got credit for a 5-miler!
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Running Makes Me Bipolar
I'm starting to train again for the upcoming year. I have S-RTB in May and I'm thinking about a 50-miler around the same time. There's of course RTB in September and the RI 6 Hour in November. Better to get in running shape now after taking December mostly off from running and strict diet what with all the Christmas cookies and beer.
I felt pretty good on my first few short runs but inevitably I had a late night run (as time would allow with the little one) and it was bitter cold (New England in January - go figure). I started thinking - "why am I doing this again?"
From past experience, this will fade and I'll start feeling really amped up about running again as I get deep into the training. I'll be a running machine that is until I have yet another 4-hour plus run on a cold Saturday morning through the woods. It will no doubt be raining (as it will be in the April timeframe) and I'll want nothing more than to just run the race I'm training for and finish this and stop running for good.
Then I'll start tapering - running less as the final weeks before the race approach. I'll have all this extra energy and I'll want to run more (weird since I just swore it off a week earlier). This is kind of like the old college pledge - "I'll never drink again!"
During the race, I'll usually feel good but as the end approaches I'll motivate myself by thinking about how good it will feel when it's over and how much time off I'm going to take.
I'll be running the next day.
I felt pretty good on my first few short runs but inevitably I had a late night run (as time would allow with the little one) and it was bitter cold (New England in January - go figure). I started thinking - "why am I doing this again?"
From past experience, this will fade and I'll start feeling really amped up about running again as I get deep into the training. I'll be a running machine that is until I have yet another 4-hour plus run on a cold Saturday morning through the woods. It will no doubt be raining (as it will be in the April timeframe) and I'll want nothing more than to just run the race I'm training for and finish this and stop running for good.
Then I'll start tapering - running less as the final weeks before the race approach. I'll have all this extra energy and I'll want to run more (weird since I just swore it off a week earlier). This is kind of like the old college pledge - "I'll never drink again!"
During the race, I'll usually feel good but as the end approaches I'll motivate myself by thinking about how good it will feel when it's over and how much time off I'm going to take.
I'll be running the next day.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Second Annual RI 6 Hour Ultramarathon
This past Sunday, was the second annual RI 6 Hour Ultramarathon. The RI 6 Hour is – as the name implies – a 6 hour race that is won by the person who accumulates the most total miles at the end of 6 hours. It is run on a closed 2.7 mile loop in Warwick City Park, Warwick, RI.
My goal was to do at least as good as last year (36.9 miles), but I'd settle for at least 35 miles – as I'm 35 years old. I can't golf my age, but I can run it!
Again, my wife Jen helped immensely - always ready with food and drink on each lap. I ran a faster pace per lap this year and made the marathon distance 2 minutes faster than last year and the 50K distance 13 seconds faster than last year.
My legs were sore after about 20 miles - I hadn't counted on the sharp stabbing pains in each quad since I didn't get that annoyance at all last time, but a bit of walking loosened them up for more running, until I had to stretch again.
I finished my 35 miles at 5:17:46 - exactly 2 minutes faster than last year. This year, there was no option for 2 short 0.9 miles loops, so I was either done or going out for another 2.7 miles. My last lap was 30:48, so with 42 minutes until the 6 hour deadline, I figured I could walk a substantial part of the lap and still make it. I left and set out hard. I pushed the pace, leaving nothing in the tank as this was my last lap and finished it in 25:27 completing 37.8 miles in 5:43:13 - 30 seconds slower than last year, but 0.9 miles further.
The official results place me 8/64 with an official total mileage of 37.8168 miles in 5:43:15.
The table below documents my miles and times (by my watch).
My goal was to do at least as good as last year (36.9 miles), but I'd settle for at least 35 miles – as I'm 35 years old. I can't golf my age, but I can run it!
Again, my wife Jen helped immensely - always ready with food and drink on each lap. I ran a faster pace per lap this year and made the marathon distance 2 minutes faster than last year and the 50K distance 13 seconds faster than last year.
My legs were sore after about 20 miles - I hadn't counted on the sharp stabbing pains in each quad since I didn't get that annoyance at all last time, but a bit of walking loosened them up for more running, until I had to stretch again.
I finished my 35 miles at 5:17:46 - exactly 2 minutes faster than last year. This year, there was no option for 2 short 0.9 miles loops, so I was either done or going out for another 2.7 miles. My last lap was 30:48, so with 42 minutes until the 6 hour deadline, I figured I could walk a substantial part of the lap and still make it. I left and set out hard. I pushed the pace, leaving nothing in the tank as this was my last lap and finished it in 25:27 completing 37.8 miles in 5:43:13 - 30 seconds slower than last year, but 0.9 miles further.
The official results place me 8/64 with an official total mileage of 37.8168 miles in 5:43:15.
The table below documents my miles and times (by my watch).
| RI 6 Hour Ultramarathon: November 14, 2010 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lap | Mileage | Cumm. Mile. | Lap Split | Cumm. Time | Lap Pace | Avg. Pace |
| 1 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 22:22.0 | 0:22:22.0 | 08:17.0 | 08:17.0 |
| 2 | 2.7 | 5.4 | 21:08.0 | 0:43:30.0 | 07:49.6 | 08:03.3 |
| 3 | 2.7 | 8.1 | 21:20.0 | 1:04:50.0 | 07:54.1 | 08:00.2 |
| 4 | 2.7 | 10.8 | 21:30.5 | 1:26:20.4 | 07:57.9 | 07:59.7 |
| 5 | 2.7 | 13.5 | 21:23.7 | 1:47:44.1 | 07:55.4 | 07:58.8 |
| 6 | 2.7 | 16.2 | 21:45.6 | 2:09:29.7 | 08:03.5 | 07:59.6 |
| 7 | 2.7 | 18.9 | 22:47.8 | 2:32:17.4 | 08:26.6 | 08:03.5 |
| 8 | 2.7 | 21.6 | 23:26.7 | 2:55:44.1 | 08:41.0 | 08:08.2 |
| 9 | 2.7 | 24.3 | 25:33.1 | 3:21:17.2 | 09:27.8 | 08:17.0 |
| Marathon | 26.2 | -- | 3:39:53.0 | -- | 08:23.5 | |
| 10 | 2.7 | 27 | 26:06.9 | 3:47:24.0 | 09:40.3 | 08:25.3 |
| 11 | 2.7 | 29.7 | 27:21.4 | 4:14:45.5 | 10:07.9 | 08:34.7 |
| 50K | 31.25 | -- | 4:31:10.0 | -- | 08:40.6 | |
| 12 | 2.7 | 32.4 | 32:11.4 | 4:46:56.8 | 11:55.3 | 08:51.4 |
| 13 | 2.7 | 35.1 | 30:48.2 | 5:17:45.0 | 11:24.5 | 09:03.2 |
| 14 | 2.7 | 37.8 | 25:27.6 | 5:43:12.6 | 09:25.8 | 09:04.8 |
| Totals: | 37.8 | 5:43:13 | 09:04.8 | |||
Friday, October 29, 2010
Middle East - Middle America
I don't know much of the issues and situation in the Middle East, but it has been distilled in my mind from the media as a series of religious factions that cannot 'get along' due to their differences in theology/ideology. The Jews and Palestinians don't get along. The Shi'ites Arabs, Sunnis Arabs and Sunni Kurds don't get along. Some want their own states/countries based on religion. Some want their own states/countries based on ethnicity.
It all seems so confusing when looking at a country like ours - America - where we're not divided over such issues of religion and social politics. We have civil elections and establish majority consensus on leadership and direction of this great country. With the midterm elections just days away, I for one can't wait for the outcome and am excited to follow our newly elected politicians regardless of party to the promise of a better America!
</sarcasm:off !-- If you're not sure where it began, rest assured, this is where it ends>
It all seems so confusing when looking at a country like ours - America - where we're not divided over such issues of religion and social politics. We have civil elections and establish majority consensus on leadership and direction of this great country. With the midterm elections just days away, I for one can't wait for the outcome and am excited to follow our newly elected politicians regardless of party to the promise of a better America!
</sarcasm:off !-- If you're not sure where it began, rest assured, this is where it ends>
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Contingency Planning
I remember seeing the 1-20-2009 bumper stickers when people were pining over George W. Bush leaving the White House. Now, there are no shortage of creative 1-20-2013 emblems calling for the 1-term departure of Barrack Obama. However, we're fogetting something...
We have a contingency plan.
We have a contingency plan.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Reach the Beach Relay - 2010
Krulik Returns - Men's Masters
Back row from left: Randy (leg 6), Jason (leg 12), Gavin (leg 9), Tucker (leg 3), Wiggy (leg 11), Bayen (leg 8)
Middle row from left: Patty (leg 4), Suzi (leg 5), Jodi (leg 1), Alison (leg 10), Kara (leg 7)
Front row: Vince [aka: Me] (leg 2), Krulik [aka: Mascot] (on my junk)
| Vert | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | Difficulty | Gain | Loss | Net | Time | Pace | |
| Leg 2 | 8.96 | Hard | 279 | 132 | 147 | 63:45 | 7:06 |
| Leg 14 | 7.79 | Hard | 610 | 563 | 47 | 56:00 | 7:11 |
| Leg 26 | 5.12 | Moderate | 552 | 331 | 221 | 37:45 | 7:22 |
| 21.87 | 1441 | 1026 | 415 | 2:37:30 | 7:12 | ||
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