Thursday, January 26, 2012

Getting Around: Walked 3 Miles. January 25, 2012

It's the day after my 20 mile wog.

This time around, because I used some ice leg wraps on my knees, quads and hamstrings, my legs seemed to have recovered faster than if I hadn't.

For today, walked 3 miles.

Guestimate calories burned:  150

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Cramming for a Marathon: 20 Miles. January 24, 2012

I am so behind on my marathon training program.  Given the crazy work load I had over the holidays, I lost my half marathon mileage base to build on top of.

Nevertheless, I am not ready to toss in the towel just yet.

For myself, an ideal marathon training program includes at least 3 or more 20 milers or longer distances.

Today, I finally manage to get in the 1st - 20 miler.  From the looks of things, I might only be able to get in 2 - 20 milers or longer before race day, oppose to my usual 3.  :(


20 miles @ 4:38:47
Net guestimate calories burned:  970  (Yes, 970.  I eat quite a bit along the way.)


I definitely need to bring my gloves.  It was very cold.  My fingers were so cold I had problems opening food packaging along the way, slowing me down quite a bit.

Although there were several ugly miles along the way, I am not ready to give up crossing that finish line on race day.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Lesson Learned: Don't Just Watch the Weather Forecast, Just Head on Out; 5.01 Miles. January 22, 2012

Rain storms going thru my area.

I was monitoring the precipitation off of Weather.com, trying to find a gap between the rainy periods, before heading out for a run.

The hourly forecast kept changing.  First, it would list a low precipiation percentage at a certain hour.  But, when it got to that hour, I can still hear the rain falling outside.  And, refreshing my web browser then would list a higher percentage of precipitation rate.

Eventually, I finally find a gap and headed out.

Before I got a mile in, it started to rain.  Oh, well, so much for watching the weather hoping for a drier run.

Along the way, there was a downed tree blocking the road.

5.01 miles @ 1:02:57
Calories burned:  573


Lesson learned:  Raining or not, save the hours of watching the weather forecast and just head on out.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Kicking off the 2012 New Year: New Year's Day Run 5k. Event date: January 1, 2012

Due to some crazy work hours over the holidays, I knew I had lost my mileage base and considerable amount of fitness going into the New Year's Day Run 5k, so this one will just be a fun run.


Pre-Race, I went volunteering at the T-shirt pick up area.  This delayed my heading to the start of my own race.

After I made use of a nearby restroom, I finally made it the Start.


A First:  Gun Time for a Chip Timed Event
Not sure what happened today, the timing folks weren't thrilled to see me, which is a first.

Although it was a chip timing event, they told me I was too late; I couldn't start when I want to; I would only get gun time; and they had already cleared things for those finishing the event.

Not only that, I was told in to start in front of the barriers they had set up, some distance in front of the timing mat, so I couldn't even time my own event with my own timing device.

Of course, I wasn't thrilled because it's a chip timing event and that I've seen folks start events way later into this organizer's running events and heard none of the issues I had heard today.

I spoke to the event organizer who told me to start normally, and they'll adjust my time afterwards.


After the pre-race hiccups, I made it onto the course.

There were several forks during the first few turns of the event.

Very grateful that one of their volunteers, Marie, who saw me, then briefly ran with me, directing me to the correct race course away from those first few forks in the road, preventing me from getting lost.  Very, very grateful!  Thanks, Marie!!!


The 5k course was pretty much a paved road.  I pulled over a few times to snap a couple of pics.

Very pretty, Lake Chabot.

Folks fishing.

My event T, bib and 2012 New Year's Day bling.

New Year's Day Running Events and Bonus Bling
The New Year's Day events and New Year's Eve events were part of the New Year's running event series.

The New Year's Eve events were held on the morning of December 31, 2011, while the New Year's Day events were held on the morning of January 1, 2012.

Both events featured distances of a half marathon, a 10k and a 5k.

Those completing an event from both days received a middle piece bonus bling. 

I was stuck working and couldn't make it to the New Year's Eve events, so I wasn't able to complete the New Year's running event series.

Here's what the medals of a complete New Year's Eve and Day finisher look like together:


Very nice!

With the hiccups I had before my 5k, I am hoping the rest of 2012 is going to go smoothly.  Here's hoping for a smooth 2012!


BTW, parts of this wasn't intended to be a rant or a complaint over how the chip timing was done for this day, but more as a caution to those volunteering before a chip timed running event.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Event Planning 101: The Gear Check

A newer running event in my area was planning a training run on sections of their race course.  It mentioned it was a free supported event.  Things sound great!

Then, an interested participant asked regarding gear check.

The event organizer responded back by saying to leave your stuff in your own vehicles parked at a train station.  It seemed no arrangements was made for folks to check their gear.

I was shocked at the event organizer's lack of planning for those who use public transit.

In a major metropolitan area where many folks don't have a set of wheels and commute by public transit, leaving your items in your own vehicles demonstrates a complete lack of event planning and a lack of understanding for the demographics in the area.

All of the other running events in my area made arrangements for gear check even during their event training runs.

After further prodding regarding why no gear check was offered and pointing out to the event organizer that many other events in the area have made gear check arrangements during their free training runs, the event organizer lost their temper.

Don't know any way to slice it, but the gear check is in "Event Planning 101."  To not have it, is a demonstration of poor event organization and/or a demonstration of a lack of resources.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Base Rebuildng: 5 miles

Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays.

As for myself, I got buried under so much work over the holidays that I wasn't able to spend almost any time wogging and blogging.

Currently in base rebuilding mode.

5 miles @ 1:01:01
Calories burned:  572