Severe Training - Cycling and running gone amok in Seattle!

The Other Swimming Heroes of the Beijing Olympics

2008-08-17T14:25:00.001-07:00

Phelps is truly awesome and a nice guy, but the other American stars have been sidelined and I think it's NBC's fault that they haven't gotten enough credit. The Phelps phenomenon is getting a little tiring (not Phelp's fault).

So here's a tribute to Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres, Aaron Peirsol, and Jason Lezak, among others. Coughlin's got unbelievable natural skills; Torres is just amazing and there's nothing she could have done better (really unlucky on the 50M butterfly); Peirsol is really good but sooo underestimated and probably the coolest guy at the Olympics; Lezak's comeback to beat the French and another solid showing to cement Phelp's eight medal (plus the Bronze individual) leave no doubt that this was a performance of a lifetime.

Congratulations to the whole team!

NBCOlympics.com Live Cycling Road Race Broadcast - No Voice Commentary

2008-08-09T02:40:00.000-07:00

I'm glad that I was able to watch the Men's Road Race online live, but was really, really disappointed that there wasn't any commentary. I miss Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin's top-notch second-by-second coverage of the Tour de France--I was hoping that the same would be repeated here, but NBC didn't bother to pay even one commentator (the text comments don't count!) to cover this event!!!

It unfortunately shows that despite what Lance Armstrong did for American cycling, the bump in interest in the sport was temporary. Cycling will remain a niche sport in this country.

BTW, awesome finish by Samuel Sanchez.

Seattle's Best-Kept Secret

2008-08-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

This map was created using GPS Visualizer's do-it-yourself geographic utilities.

Please wait while the map data loads...

Total: .51mi Swim

Swollen Ear

2008-08-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

It was another good day to ride to work today. It was difficult again--I'm still out of shape--but I enjoyed it, especially in the morning when it wasn't so hot. On the way back, it was in the upper 70s (hot for Seattle) and 2 miles from home a bee or a wasp flew into my left ear and didn't want to leave. I swatted it a few times but a few seconds had already elapsed. 5 seconds later I felt a really sharp pain and I thought I was bleeding (I wasn't). Perhaps if I hadn't swatted it, it wouldn't have bitten me, since almost all animals don't take aggressive action unless provoked or hunting prey.

In any case, the pain wasn't that bad half an hour later but my ear is still pretty swollen. No hard feeling to the bee/wasp. Hope you're OK :-).

Total: 15.54mi Bike Ride

2008-07-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

Rode to work today. It's been a long time. Before I left, I thankfully noticed that there was a leak in the rear tire of my old Volkscycle. The ride was tough, but it felt good to be back on the road again.

Total: 16.48mi Bike Ride

Garmin Training Center Map Feature and Google Earth

2008-07-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Garmin Training Center software that comes with the Forerunner 305 is pretty good. You can categorize the workouts you uploaded by the type of activity (running, bicycling, other), you can customize workouts and courses (haven't tried it yet), and look at all of it on a map.

The problem with the map feature is that it sucks. I can understand why, however. If it were really good, the software would have to be much larger, plus--and probably more importantly--Garmin decided that they can't compete with Google Earth and Google Maps. And so the good news is that, you can right-click on any of your recorded workouts in Training Center and choose "View xxx in Google Earth".

The map is obviously much more detailed and as far as I can tell, the Forerunner 305 is very accurate, only occasionally missing my route by a feet or two.

Total: 2.75mi Run

Playa del Carmen; Mt. Rainier

2008-07-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a year since my last entry so I thought I'd put something in before then. I haven't been running or biking a lot since the 2007 Boston Marathon. I'm slowly starting to exercise a little more-- 2 or 3 mile runs here and there. Gear-wise, I got new shoes, this time I'm trying out a pair of New Balance neutrals, and the Forerunner 305 which is awesome because I no longer have problems with reception in tree-covered areas.

The most exciting trips so far this year were to Playa del Carmen Mexico in January where we didn't exercise much except for a few swims, and to Mt. Rainier only a week ago. There was so much precipitation and cold temperatures this winter and spring that there's still too much snow to comfortably walk on trails without snow shoes. We saw people skiing down the slopes! We stayed at the newly opened Paradise Inn--the rooms are small and not very sound-proof, but the early 1900s architecture is awesome and I hope to go back there later in the summer.

Kayaking on Lake Union

2007-07-31T20:51:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day... We made it all the way to the Government Locks from Aqua Verde, which made it a 9.16 mile round trip. We did in just under 3 hours, which was a pretty good time for us. By the way, A-V had a mid-week special, so it was only $30 for a double kayak.

Total: Kayaking!
[Backdated on 8/01/2007]

Traveling Cross-Country (not on a bike)

2007-07-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

I've been traveling a lot this summer with my girlfriend. We made a cross-country trip that took us through some spectacular places. We were amazed at the dryness of Eastern Washington, the high winds of Eastern Oregon, the surprising beauty of Idaho, the red canyons and valleys of Utah, the spectacular mountains of Colorado, the flatness and downpours of Kansas, the expansiveness of rivers in Missouri, and the heat of Tennessee.

We swam in Salt Lake (actually floating is a better description), hiked in Arches National Park, rafted on the Colorado River, and got drunk in Hays, Kansas, among the more memorable activities. If I had to move from Seattle and had a choice of where else to live, I'd pick Colorado--it's incredibly beautiful, urban (around Denver), affordable, and has palatable weather. Still, every place had a charm of its own and we're lucky we had the opportunity to visit them.

2007-05-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

We went for a job around Seward Park. Our dogs are swimming really well now since I threw them off a dock a few weeks ago. They're probably in better shape than I am right now. When I was training for the marathon when I'd take them on long runs they'd get tired after 5 or 6 miles; I think nowadays it'd be the reverse. :-)

Total: 2.75mi Run

[Backdated on 05/23/2007]

2007-05-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

I rode to work again. This is the view of downtown at the intersection of 4th Ave. and Main St. heading north just at the edge of the International District.

Total: 17.5mi Bike Ride

Commuting in Seattle (vs. Amsterdam and Beijing)

2007-05-17T22:02:00.000-07:00

Rode to work today... I had to stop somewhere a little bit past downtown on Howell St. I think I've mentioned this before last year, but riding through downtown going north is a real struggle because there are no bike lanes. I usually take 4th Ave. from the International District and hang on the right side until James St. or so--that's when the bus stops start and you have to watch out for cars turning right--where I switch to the left side. That's not safe either because you're essentially sharing the lane with car traffic and you never know if someone seated in the passenger seat of a car parked to the left will open the door and your face will end up looking like a pancake.

Now, the mayor recently revealed the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan, which will create new bike lanes and shared roadways throughout the city. I looked very closely at it, and I noticed that large chunks of downtown roads will be "sharrows". I think that's a great plan and as long as there are plenty of pavement and post signs, motorists will be more aware that those are shared lanes. I was surprised to learn the huge amount of money ($240 million) going into this project. Hopefully this will make Seattle the best city in the country for commuting. Still, we'll never catch up with Amsterdam, Beijing, or Copenhagen:

Wall Street Journal (click here for full article)
Building a Better Bike Lane
Bike-friendly cities in Europe are launching a new attack on car culture. Can the U.S. catch up?

By NANCY KEATES May 4, 2007; Page W1

COPENHAGEN -- No one wears bike helmets here. They're afraid they'll mess up their hair. "I have a big head and I would look silly," Mayor Klaus Bondam says.
People bike while pregnant, carrying two cups of coffee, smoking, eating bananas. At the airport, there are parking spaces for bikes. In the emergency room at Frederiksberg Hospital on weekends, half the biking accidents are from people riding drunk. Doctors say the drunk riders tend to run into poles.

Flat, compact and temperate, the Netherlands and Denmark have long been havens for bikers. In Amsterdam, 40% of commuters get to work by bike. In Copenhagen, more than a third of workers pedal to their offices. But as concern about global warming intensifies -- the European Union is already under emissions caps and tougher restrictions are expected -- the two cities are leading a fresh assault on car culture. A major thrust is a host of aggressive new measures designed to shift bike commuting into higher gear, including increased prison time for bike thieves and the construction of new parking facilities that can hold up to 10,000 bikes.
...

By the way, with respect to Beijing, while there are many more commuters there, it seems that their fate is becoming worse as car traffic increases--see this interesting article.

Total: 16.9mi Bike Ride

[Backdated on 05/18/2007]

2007-05-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

Today was supposed to be the most beautiful day of the week (sunny and upper 70s) and so my girlfriend and I decided to take advantage of it and found a new park in Seattle: Carkeek. Besides Golden Gardens and Lincoln Park, I think it's the only other park near Seattle with beach access to Puget Sound. The beach here is the smallest in area of the three and it's right next to train tracks, but the park is bigger than the other two and it has many trails that run through nearby woods. We spent some time at the beach (no swimmers; the water is still too cold for most) and then walked a couple of trails. After an uphill climb on one of them, we found a meadow with a very nice view.

Total: Hiking!

2007-05-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

We went for a jog in Seward Park instead of around it--we went through the trails in the middle of the park. For all the times I've been to the park, I saw the amphitheater for the first time where concerts are held in the summer. I'll get some pictures next time.

Total: 2.75mi Run

2007-05-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

We (my girlfriend and I) were looking for a new hike this weekend. We found a good site for hiking and decided on Snoqualmie Falls. As purported in the article, it was a tourist mecca because it's the highest waterfall in Washington state, it's easily accessible by car, and it's only a mile round-trip (the total mileage was about 2 miles from the parking lot according to my Forerunner).

The trail and the surrounding area is owned and managed by Puget Sound Energy--the site has a diversion dam and two powerhouses--but it almost feels like any other hike you'd find in Western Washington, the exception being the number of visitors, the length of the trail, and the power plant at the bottom of the trail. Otherwise the scenery is beautiful and we were glad we came. To top it off, we stopped at the Salish Lodge & Spa for lunch, located right next to the top of the falls (you can see in the upper-left corner in the video). It's a bit expensive, but if you can get a window seat it's well worth the visit and the food was excellent.

Total: Hiking!

2007-05-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

We went for a run around Seward Park with the dogs. This was my first run since the Boston Marathon on April 16th--almost a full month. It felt good...

Total: 2.5mi Run

2007-05-09T21:53:00.000-07:00

I rode to work today. I decided to take the long way back--it was a very nice day again--via Dexter St. - Fremont - Burke Gilman Trail to the U-District - Montlake Bridge - Lake Washington Blvd.

Total: 25.3mi Bike Ride

2007-05-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

It looks like summer is in its infancy here in Seattle. Today it was in the lower 70s with plenty of sunshine and the rest of the week is looking just as good. I think I'll be riding to work a lot more from now on...

Total: 15.0mi Bike Ride

2007-05-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

Here is my mileage for April:

2007-04-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

We went for another leisurely bike ride, this time around the neighborhood. It was in the 50s but felt much colder--there was a strong northerly Canadian wind that made us wish we were wearing gloves.

Total: 11.8mi Bike Ride

[Backdated on 05/02/2007]

2007-04-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

We drove to Carnation for a bike ride along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. We previously went there for a 22-mile marathon training session in March. The nice thing about this trail is that there aren't many people on it and we could ride our bikes with the dogs unleashed. We headed north from Carnation towards Duvall. This part of the trail, as compared to the heading south from Carnation, is less forested with better views of the surrounding farm fields and the Cascades. The disadvantage is that it's closer to Route 203 and traffic noise (the trail crosses 203 at one point which is a very dangerous intersection with cars going at 50+mph).

The weather was beautiful and we took our time cruising by farms with cows, wetlands, and the Snoqualmie River.

Total: 10mi Bike Ride

[Backdated on 04/24/2007]

A Test of Strength and Will

2007-04-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

The weather turned out fine...there was plenty of rain and a wailing wind the night before, but by the time the race started it was only drizzling with occasional gusts, and by the time I got to Boston the sun almost came out. I was in the 4th corral (out of ~22) where most of the runners qualified at around the same time as I did: over 3 hours, but under 3:10. I talked to a couple of guys and they said their goal was to break 3 but with the weather they weren't sure anymore. I thought the same for a while, and because I only got 3 1/2 hours of sleep on top of a red-eye flight the night before, I didn't know what would happen.

In the end, I believe that both weren't a factor in my inability to finish under 3 hours. I think my concerns about not running enough long runs were valid. I was running at an almost perfect 2:58 pace until about the 22nd mile when I started to slow down. However, I didn't crush as badly as in the Vancouver Marathon and was able to get a personal best. I think the additional training, not stopping once along the route even when getting a drink (took a drink every 5 miles and 2 gel packs at mile 10 & 17), and better pacing helped. The problem once again wasn't my cardiovascular state but pain in my legs and overall weakness in my body. Those are definite indicators of my body not being used to long runs.

The course itself was quite challenging with a number of rolling hills including the infamous "Heartbreak Hill" at mile 21 (~80 foot elevation gain) which caused considerable pain in my quadriceps. Of the five marathons I've done so far, this was the hardest course.

So... I'm disappointed that I didn't go under 3 hours because of all my preperation for this race and I thought I could do it (up to about mile 22). The big takeaway is that I have to do more long runs; the stuff in the middle is not as important. On the positive side I beat my PR, didn't stop once, and got through the last two miles OK (those 15 minutes were up there on the list of the most physically painfull moments of my life).

I'll be switching over to cycling shortly until the fall when I'll run another marathon (one I haven't done before--Portland perhaps), and of course I will try to break 3 hours again. Never give up!

Total: 111th Boston Marathon; (3:04:08; 7:02 pace; 1186/12567 male; 1248/20640 overall)

P.S. I unfortunately didn't get a chance to see any of the elite athletes such as Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya, Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia, or Uli Steidl of Shoreline who got 12th place!

2007-04-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

Things are looking up already :-). This is the Monday morning forecast for Boston:

Monday: A steady, heavy rain in the morning. Showers continuing in the afternoon. High near 45F. Winds ESE at 20 to 30 mph.

------------------------

And here is an article from the Boston Globe:

Marathoners: Ready, set, shiver
Authorities brace for weather, mobilize medical help

By Brian MacQuarrie, Globe Staff | April 14, 2007

With a nasty brew of heavy rain, cold, and headwinds forecast for Monday, authorities are scrambling to mitigate the misery of 23,000 runners in what could rank among the worst conditions in the history of the Boston Marathon.

More than 1,200 medical personnel will line the 26.2-mile course, waiting to treat runners for hypothermia or injuries. School buses will be converted to emergency shelters, and communities along the route are considering using public buildings as heated sanctuaries for shivering dropouts.

"It's extremely disappointing," race director Dave McGillivray said of the forecast, which called for heavy rain and easterly winds as high as 20 miles per hour.
...

2007-04-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

Today was my last real run; I only have a short 2-miler on Sunday. My achillees tendon is still hurting, but I'm optimistic that it'll be fine by Monday.

I give myself a 25% chance of finishing under 3:00, a 25% chance of dropping out, and a 50% chance of finishing over 3:00. :-)

Total: 4.00mi Run

2007-04-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

I've decided not to buy a new pair of shoes for the marathon. There's not enough time to break them in. Secondly and more importantly, I feel very comfortable in the ones I have. Like I said before, the only problem might be a lot of joint pain during the marathon but I think I'd have that even with new shoes that provide a little more padding. Incidentally, my achilles tendon, the one I injured last year, was hurting a lot today. I iced it and I'm back on naproxen sodium which I'll take for the next few days. I'm supposed to do a short tempo run tomorrow but I might take the day off.

Total: 3.20mi Run

2007-04-09T18:35:00.000-07:00

We drove to Elliot Bay and ran around Myrtle Edwards park and then headed towards the marina. This is a familiar run and I've done it many times before when I used to live in Belltown. Here's a map of an almost identical run I did a year and a half ago.

Actually we didn't both run. My girlfriend was on the bike and was my pacer of sorts. It was very windy and I had trouble running as fast as I wanted to, but it was still a good run; the longest run in fact before the big race less than a week away.

Total: 8.00mi Run; (7:15 pace)

[Backdated on 04/10/2007]

2007-04-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

A loop and a half around Seward Park. It was very crowded for Easter Sunday; maybe there was an egg hunt somewhere.

Total: 3.75mi Run

[Backdated on 04/10/2007]

2007-04-06T16:55:00.000-07:00

Spring is definitely here!

Total: 10k (6.2mi) Run

2007-04-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

Rode to work today. I outputed my GPS data onto a topographic map. I've done so previously but I've never noticed that there were sewer lines under Lake Washington??? There's also a big reservoir on Beacon Hill.

Total: 15.0mi Bike Ride

[Backdated on 04/05/2007]

2007-04-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

A slow and short run today. I almost wasn't going to go, but it was good to get the heart rate up a bit. I remember reading that endurance starts to decrease after 24 hours of not exercising...

Total: 3.58mi Run

2007-04-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

Last night I was thinking that I should do a 20 or 22 mile run today but then I looked at the chart in the Complete Book of Running and it showed a 10k race for both the intermediate and advanced schedules; I also read the Boston Marathon training guide. Both emphasize decreasing overall mileage in the last two to three weeks. So I opted for a 10k (I couldn't find a race; just ran fast). Based on my results last weekend and today, I think my cardiovascular condition is OK, but I'm still worried that my joints will start hurting after 18 or 20 miles and I'll slow down like I did at the NYC Marathon last November. That's why I'm thinking about getting new shoes. I've worn the ones I have--a pair of Mizuno Wave Alchemy 6--since before the last marathon I think. So I've probably ran 350+ miles in them, which is more than what's traditionally recommended, but I'm comfortable in the ones I have because they're very well worn in. The question is whether they're suitable for longer distances when cushioning can play a factor. I know there is a school of thought that preaches running barefoot; on the other hand, dogs have cushioned soles and it seems to work pretty well for them :-). I'll think this one over... Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Total: 10k Run; (40:00; 6:27 pace; 715 cal.; 148 lb.)

2007-04-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

We "got out of dodge" this weekend and headed for the ocean--Ocean Shores, WA, specifically. I've never been there and it's usually only a two and a half hour drive from Seattle but it took us three and a half because of rush-hour traffic Friday afternoon.

The town itself is not very exciting. Our overall verdict is that we like the Oregon coast (the area around Newport in particular) much more. It's prettier and there is much more to do. If you plan to stay in town that is. Otherwise the Washington coast is just as good, if not better. I've been camping previously near Olympic National Park right on the coast and the scenery was amazing.

The weather was cold and windy the whole weekend. It was mostly sunny Saturday afternoon and that's when I went for a run right on the beach. Heading south was fine, but coming back was extremely difficult because there was a northerly 25mph+ wind. My face was half frozen by the time I got back to the car. Today was actually worse because it was cloudy and we even got hit by hail!

I'll post some pictures in the future. I took some using my 35mm SLR and the film is not yet finished.

Total: 4.81mi + 2.0mi Run

BTW, I'm posting my updated monthly total mileage. Perhaps I've been running too much (highest mileage so far). I hope I haven't peaked too early!

2007-03-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

I took yesterday off and went for another run around the neighborhood. I ran a little bit faster and made 13.1 miles under 1:30. I still don't know how I ran it in 1:22 because even though I didn't push it all the way today, it wasn't easy either. I'm hoping that during the marathon, my competitive spirit will kick in again as it did this past Sunday.

I didn't take a gel pack with me today but since the water fountains are back on, I stopped twice to drink. I felt a little bit weak towards the end which wasn't unexpected. That's why I think during the marathon I'll take one gel pack at 10 miles and another one at 18 with drinks in between. Or perhaps I'll eat three: at 8, 15, and 21 miles. I should figure this out at some point before the start :-). I haven't been consistent in my past races and I haven't looked up to see if/where they'll be placed on the course.

Total: 13.1mi Run (6:49 pace; 1640 cal.; 145 lb.) + .5mi Jog = 13.6mi Run

2007-03-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Another run around the neighborhood. The spikes in my pace in the diagram are water stops at Seward Park. The water fountains have been turned on :-).

Total: 10.24mi Run (7:04 pace; 1220 cal)

2007-03-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

I went for a morning run with the dogs around the neighborhood. The dogs are getting better at keeping up. Our 3 year old fat golden retriever is finally loosing some weight but still not as fast as the <1 year old collie/boxer.

Total: 5.54mi Run

2007-03-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

We drove to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park (only our second time), but this time we went hiking instead of running. We took a somewhat different route than last time in early February. The park was almost empty even though it was pretty warm and sunny. We only saw three people is 2 hours of walking. We went by Coal Creek Falls which isn't that tall but is still beautiful and it was flowing fast, a result of all the rain we've had in the past few days. I like this park a lot.

Total: Hiking!

A Hilla of a Thrilla

2007-03-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

It was a good run, but it didn't start out that way. It was raining when we left an hour before the start. I looked at the radar and it looked like the rain was about to pass but when we got to near the starting line half an hour later it was still pouring. I don't think the walkers and the 10k runners had a great time. I kept on telling my girlfriend who was cheering for me that "I believe in the radar" and that it would stop raining, and miraculously it did right at the gun. That was fortunate because I didn't have to worry about wearing extra clothing besides shorts and a shirt.

The race took a fast start and I followed the first 20 or 30 runners at a sub-six minute pace. I was at just over 12 minutes after 2 miles. I continued running at a good pace but I didn't feel all that great. I ate exactly 2 hours before the start but my stomach felt a little too full. I settled in at about 4 miles and I don't think anyone passed me until about the 7th mile (I didn't pass anyone either). Just before that my Foreunner got off-track somehow and the mileage was off about .2-.3 miles for the rest of the race.

One guy passed me whom I couldn't catch up with, then another. Later on, maybe around the eighth mile, two guys were going at a faster pace. I caught on and pushed it hard not to get dropped. One of the guys finished before me, but I beat the other guy.

The whole course was hilly. Even though most hills were not really steep, the course was constantly going up or down. Less than a mile before the finish there was a steep one, but then it was all downhill, which made for a nice finish. I sprinted around the last corner and encountered a few spectators who were crossing the road! A guy was yelling and signaling with his hand to get off the course, but for about two seconds I thought he was telling me to go left. I finished strong, but that pissed me off a little bit. One more negative: there were cars along the course! Not too many, but come on organizers, you can't allow car traffic on a timed course, especially on a race of this size! There is almost nothing worse than the smell of gas fumes when you're running or biking as fast as you can.

Throughout the race I was thinking that there is no way I could beat my best half-marathon time (1:22:35 -- Queens Marathon 2003) because I thought I would slow down the further I got. I did slow down a little bit, but to my surprise the clock showed about 1:22:20 or so a few yards before I crossed the finish line. However, I'm still not sure if I beat my best time--the results are not yet published and I didn't turn off the Forerunner until a few seconds later--but I know that I did the best I could and in the end that's all that counts.

Special thanks to E. for the support and pictures!

Total: Mercer Island Rotary Half-Marathon Race 13.1mi; 1:22:xx;

[Update 03/26/2007: 1:22:18(20) chip time(net time), so I did just beat my best time. Is this the best of my genetic ability?

Also, my elevation profile didn't come out right on the Forerunner, but I found a good one here (it's in meters).]

2007-03-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

Just a short jog today around Seward Park. Afterwards, we went to the pre-race fair at the Mercer Island Community Center today and picked up my packet. I've never seen such a nice community space: it has a fitness room, a library, a pool game room with a fireplace, and a great view of Washington Lake throughout.

Total: 2.75mi Run

2007-03-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

I was near Kirkland this afternoon and my girlfriend suggested I stop by St. Edward's State Park to go for a run there. There are about a dozen trails there, most only suitable for hiking and some open to biking as well. When I looked at the trail map, it became apparent that the trails were not very long, each one less than a mile. Because it was raining all day long, the trails were very muddy and I had to walk down some downhill portions. Running uphill was easier and there was a trail that went up approximately 400 feet which got my heart beating pretty fast. It ended up being a short run. The terrain is similar to Discovery Park--very green with ferns and various deciduous and coniferous trees--which I find more beautiful, and it has longer trails.

An intriguing part of the park is a former Catholic seminary which is huge (90,000 sq. ft.!) and looks pretty spectacular from an architectural standpoint (it definitely has a Spanish influence). I found this article from Seattle Post-Intelligencer about its history and possible plans for the future. Very interesting...
Total: 2.9mi Run

2007-03-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

I wasn't feeling that great this morning and was only going to run 10k but after 5 miles I was better and pushed it to 10 miles. I figured that if I do a hard run today, I'll take it easy tomorrow, take Friday off, and then do a short run on Saturday before the half-marathon race on Sunday. I was hoping to accomplish two goals today: go under an hour at 9 miles, and under 1:07:00 for 10. Unfortunately I did neither. I was 2 or 3 seconds over an hour, and my final time was 1:07:18. This was still my fastest time this year, but it's not really good considering that it's only a 6:43 pace. To extend that pace to a marathon would be impossible for me right now, so I really have no idea how I can run it under 3 hours. I give my self maybe a 25% chance at this point...

Total: 10mi Run (1:07:18; 6:43 pace)

2007-03-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

This morning it was misty and cold, but it was my cross-training day, so I went forth with my plan to bike to work. I was also going to bike back, but by the time I left it was pouring down rain. My girlfriend happened to be in the neighborhood and picked me up.

Total: 7.5mi Bike Ride

2007-03-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

We (my girlfriend and I) tried another new trail this week: Soos Creek Trail in south King County near Maple Valley. It started raining right before we left, so we decided to stop at Wal-Mart on the way to get a cheap digital camera. I had a Canon S410 that worked very well for over 2 years but it just broke a few days ago. We're probably going to get a new Canon or Sony that can take some really nice pictures and videos, but in the meantime I wanted something cheap that I could carry around with me on runs and rides other than my cell phone. I found the perfect solution: the VistaQuest 1.3MP Keychain Digital Camera. This camera (actual size on the right) is tiny, has an SD card slot, takes decent photos (good enough for 4x6 prints outdoors) and videos, and only costs $20 at Wal-Mart. I don't usually like shopping at Wal-Mart (I usually get a headache), but the cheapest digital camera in any other electronics store is $~100 (this camera is also available at Amazonfor $25). Granted at that price range they're much better, but I was just looking for something cheap and portable. The only negative so far is that sound is not recorded when shooting videos. I took this one on a nicer portion of the trail (we took our dogs with us).

As to the trail itself, it's OK, but nothing special. It was supposed to be 5.8 miles each way, but I only registered about 5. It bypasses a few busy roads and a huge power line traverses a good portion of the trail. Still, there are a few nice portions that resemble wilderness, including wetlands.

It rained the whole time we were running and even though I was wearing a water-resistant rain jacket, my undershirt still got wet and because this was a long run, my nipples got torn and my white shirt looked a Frida Kahlo painting by the time I was finished running (sorry in advance for the gory details ;-). Next time, I'll try not to forget to put grease on (such as Bodyglide or Chamois).

Total: 12.0mi Run

2007-03-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

A decent day. I pushed hard for a couple of miles. I decided to race at least once before the Boston Marathon, and so a week from today I'll be running in the Mercer Island Rotary Half-Marathon. I'm looking forward to it, it should be fun. The $45 entrance fee is a bit steep in my opinion but it's a big race.

Total: 6.8mi Run

2007-03-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

Finally an easy run today: a short jog around Seward Park this morning. I didn't take my knee brace with me and I felt more pain than usual, so I'll keep wearing it for the foreseeable future unless I'm biking when it doesn't hurt at all.

Total: 2.8mi Run

2007-03-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Back to intervals today. Same 10 mile run again:

Lap 1: 6:51
Lap 2: 6:53
Lap 3: 6:41
Lap 4: 5:59
Lap 5: 7:16
Lap 6: 6:21
Lap 7: 7:12
Lap 8: 6:27
Lap 9: 7:27
Lap 10: 6:57

Total: 10mi Run; (1:08:08; 6:48 pace; 1186 cal.; 145 lb.)

2007-03-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

I rode to work... It was a little cooler today so I didn't get as sweaty which is good because I wear my work pants (jeans) on top of bike shorts. No crash today!

Total: 15.0mi Bike Ride

One Mile at a Time...

2007-03-13T21:01:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend suggested we go running together on a new trail today. We got a one-page summary of all the bike trails (cars not allowed) in King County on Sunday at the Seattle International Bike Expo, which incidentally we didn't find very impressive. We chose the Snoqualmie Valley Trail (see the right side of the map, 18MB download) because it was over 30 miles long, it looked relatively isolated from traffic, and I wanted to do a long run.

We chose roughly the midpoint of the trail where there was a parking lot: Carnation, WA (once the map opens, right click on the parking lot and select "Drive to..."; surprisingly, Microsoft Live has better features and closer satellite views than Google Maps, but on the other hand I don't think I can dynamically integrate it into this Web page). The name sounded pretty cool too and we've never been there before.

My plan was to head south for five miles, turn around, go by the parking lot to get a drink and an energy gel, head north for five and go back. The trail itself is mostly dirt mixed with rocks, with occasional gravel or cement-covered bridges that go over creeks. Heading south a mile or so into the run I passed by a guy who was wearing what looked like a beaver hat, you know, the type worn by fur traders in the 19th century. He looked (to me) somewhat suspicious and wouldn't make eye contact. Less than a hundred yard further was a small timber mill. The next four miles were uneventful and the scenery was nice but not great--mostly trees on both sides of the trail.

At five miles, I was feeling good and decided to go to six and then do the same on the other side of the trail, making my run 24 miles. Running back, I ran into my girlfriend and was surprised that she was still heading towards me (she saw the same guy and was freaked out a little, but talked to him on purpose and asked if she saw someone running by; and, there was another wierd guy we saw on a mountain bike with a military-style jacket and a pink hat that would not look at us when he passed by). She even continued on further before turning around and her total mileage was almost 11 miles, the most she's ever done (she's not a runner, which made it very impressive). I felt a little weak at mile 11, and was very thirsty when I got to the car. I ate a candy bar, drank almost a whole bottle of energy water and continued on with a liquid gel in my hand. I stopped for almost three minutes and the next mile was pretty tough. Stopping for so long wasn't good. What was even worse was not taking a liquid gel with me when I started the run. My rule from now on is to DRINK AND/OR EAT EVERY SIX MILES at the very least when running over 10 miles. This is training I'm talking about where access to both is logistically difficult. During a fully-serviced marathon, I'll drink more than that.

I never fully recovered from that gaffe. When I started running again after the break, it felt like my "crash" at the Vancouver Marathon last May where I started feeling very weak after I stopped for a drink at around mile 18 or 20 and then couldn't catch up with my pack. I think another important lesson I learned today is to see if I can eat/drink while running. At the very least, I want to do more research on the issue and see which is better. The possible problem with not stopping is getting stomach cramps. Today, I only felt better a couple of miles later for just a little bit because I was going to turn around at 16 miles to only go for 20 total, but pushed myself on to 17, making the total distance 22 miles. The last 3 miles were very tough--not so much the cardio, but the pain in my muscles, a-la the New York City Marathon last November.

By the way, the scenery is prettier heading north from Carnation. Along the way, I saw a couple of signs that told me confirmed that this is country, city boy: "No shooting within 300 yards of trail". If we split up next time, I think we'll take the dogs with us next time because of that, and the scarcity and caliber of the people we saw (to be fair, I also ran by 5 or 6 other people where we acknowledged each other). Overall I like this trail.

Total: 22.00mi Run; (2:48:29; 7:39/mi. pace; 2478 cal.; 148 lb.)

2007-03-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today was the worst I've felt all year. I just couldn't get it going and I felt like a turtle the whole run. At least the weather was pretty good.

Total: 10.00mi Run (1:16:16; 7:37 pace; 148 lb.)

2007-03-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

I rode to work today. It stopped raining in the morning an hour before I left, then it was raining most of the afternoon, and it stopped again shortly before I left. I fell again today--this time it happened when my front wheel got stuck on the train track near the end of the now defunct waterfront streetcar route (it was a nice tourist attraction, and isn't the Seattle city government supposed to be improving public transportation?). No injuries fortunately, just a sore hand...

Total: 15.0mi Bike Ride

2007-03-08T20:46:00.000-08:00

I finally got off my butt and went for a long run. I had to do it with only just over five weeks left. I parked my car at Seward Park and left two bottles of water--one filled with an energy powder--and two energy gels inside. I stopped to get a drink at about 7 miles. I took one energy gel with me and ate/drank it at 10 miles. I didn't get back to the car until just over 17 miles into the run which was too long in between drinks. I really should have had it at about 14 or 15 miles at the most. The last five miles were pretty tough, but it was bearable. My cardio was good throughout the run except for the first couple of miles. I think I'm almost at the point where the ability to withstand pain in my muscles, joints and bones will make more of a difference than my cardiovascular condition in running a satisfactory time.

Total: 20mi Run; (2:25:52; 7:17 min./mi. pace; 2286 cal.; 147 lb.)

2007-03-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

I just did a really short jog in anticipation of a very long run tomorrow. The problem I have is that all the drinking fountains in the parks I run are turned off. I should write to Seattle Parks and ask them to turn them on because it doesn't seem possible for the temperature to fall below freezing again this winter season. I'm sure they have their own schedule though. So, I think I'll have to park somewhere in the middle of my run where I can stop and drink. Or maybe I'll find a trail with a gas satation or coffee shop along the way. Or maybe I'll hide water bottles on my route... We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Total: 2.08mi Run

2007-03-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

I went for a long run. I didn't really feel great and decided to cut the run to 10 miles. I really should do 15-20 mile runs in the next few weeks if I want to run the marathon well.

Total: 10mi Run (1:15:42; 7:34 mil./min. pace)

[Backdated on 03/07/2007]

2007-03-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

Wow, it was almost 70°F this afternoon! I think we should have waited a day and gone skiing today instead. I had a pretty good run by Elliot Bay. My girlfriend took this picture at SAM's Olympic Sculpture Park.

Total: 6.67mi Run

[Backdated on 03/07/2006]

2007-03-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

I took yesterday off and today finally went skiing, the first time this season! We drove to Steven's Pass, which is about an hour and a half drive from south Seattle. We got a late start to the day and didn't actually start skiing until about 3pm, which turned out to be advantageous for a few reasons: the price of the ticket was ~$30 vs. ~$50 if we had started skiing in the morning; we found a parking space very close to the entrance (judging by the size of the lots, it seems as if there could be parking problems there during peak periods); as the day turned into evening, and the evening into night, there were was an incremental decrease in the number of people out on the slopes. By 9pm, it was almost empty and it felt very quiet and peaciful to be skiing in partial darkness. I really liked skiing at night. The only issue we encountered was the persistent fog (pattern: in the middle elevation of the slopes, mostly on the left and right slopes). It sort of looked this recent picture from Steven's Pass' Web Cam.

I took my Garmin Forerunner with me and my fastest recorded speed was ~34 mph, which is not very fast when compared to biking downhill (or the normal speeds of professional downhill skiers).

Total: Downhill Skiing!

[Backdated on 03/07/2007]

2007-03-02T14:41:00.001-08:00

Ran in a light rain this afternoon. It felt pretty good and tomorrow is an off day, finally. I might even take Sunday off too depending on how I feel. I don't want to get burned out before the marathon...

Total: 4.45mi Run

2007-03-01T18:57:00.000-08:00

Today was "tempo" day--I once again ran in intervals of one fast mile followed by one slow mile. The difference today was that I started the fast mile on a slight uphill and pushed it to 10 miles.

Mile 1: 7:08 (slow)
Mile 2: 6:29 (fast)
Mile 3: 7:06
Mile 4: 5:56
Mile 5: 7:18
Mile 6: 6:08
Mile 7: 7:39
Mile 8: 6:07
Mile 9: 7:34
Mile 10: 7:01

Total: 10mi (1:08:30; 6:51 min./mi. pace) + .59mi = 10.59mi Run

2007-02-28T21:37:00.000-08:00

Just an easy run today around the neighborhood--the last workout in February. It's been a really good month and I hope March is just as productive. My monthly running total was the highest ever, just a few miles over what I ran in April 2006 which was right before the Vancouver marathon.

Total: 5.49mi Run

2007-02-27T20:22:00.000-08:00

Rode to work today. I didn't ride back until almost midnight and it was a fun ride. A little bit wet, but there was almost no traffic and it felt great to ride at night. The only bad part was that I lost my back light (flashing red) that I attach to the rear of my backpack, but they're only about $10. It probably happened when my front wheel hit a curb and I fell; fortunately, there was grass on the other side.

Total: 15.2mi Bike Ride

[Backdated on 02/28/2007]

2007-02-26T22:49:00.000-08:00

Today was the best I've felt all year. I was going to run 10 miles, but after about 6 miles I decided to make it a half-marathon. I've been noticing a pattern: I feel good the first mile, pretty crappy the next three or four, and then great until the last two miles or so. Considering I didn't have anything to drink or eat during the workout today, I was satisfied with the results: I got just under an hour at 9 miles (59:55; 6:39 pace) and under 1:30 for the half-marathon. I didn't run the same route as last time--it was less hilly--but it still had the same 200 foot climb at the end.

Total: 13.1mi Run (1:28:33; 6:45 pace)

2007-02-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

I finally ran a real "tempo" run: a fast interval, followed by a slow one. Today I did that for 10k. It was a tough run and even though I didn't even manage to go under 6:50, I got good times on the fast intervals.

Mile 1: 5:58 min./mi.
Mile 2: 7:38
Mile 3: 6:08
Mile 4: 7:20
Mile 5: 6:06
Mile 6: 8:03
Mile 6-6.2: 6:56

Total: 10k (6.2mi) Run (42:38; 6:52 pace; 725 cal.; 146 lb.)

2007-02-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

I was thinking of taking the day off, but thought better of it and had a good x-training day--I biked to work. I was pretty tired by the end of the day... I still can't fathom how the professional tour riders bike for hours day after day.

BTW, this is the bike I use for commuting. It's a ~1980 Volkscycle; 10-speed Dura-Ace; steel frame; Japanese made. Very solid, and it's a few pounds heavier than my 2006 Cannondale Six13, but back in its day I think it was a good racing bike. I bought it for $30 back in August 2005. If you're just starting out doing long-distance biking, you don't need a $2000 carbon-frame bike. Just make sure the components are good (at least Shimano Ultegra or Campagnolo Centaur) and not too worn down. I'd recommend searching on Craigslist until something good comes along.

Total: 14.8mi Bike Ride

[Backdated on 02/23/2007]

2007-02-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

I finally went back to my old stomping ground: the Elliot Bay area near Belltown and Myrtle Edwards Park. I've been delaying a really long run for a while now and today seemed like the perfect day because yesterday I only ran 3 miles and the weather couldn't be any better.

I started out near a parking lot near Pier 70 I think on 16th Ave. W. It's right by the water. To get there you have to get on the bridge at the intersection of Elliot Ave. W. and 14th Ave. W. to cross the train tracks. That's the only free parking lot I know of that gives easy access to Myrtle Edwards Park (the ones near Belltown charge a fee). Anyway, you can figure out how to get there on the map.

I started by going north away from Elliot Bay and made a semi-circle to get to the marina. I turned around and decided to head north all the way to Discovery Park. I've biked this way before, but I've never run it. Once I got there, I made a loop on the dirt path around the park. Going back, I took a different route through Magnolia. This is a very scenic route--there are really nice houses in this area, and more importantly, awesome views of the bay and downtown Seattle. I made my way down Magnolia Bridge, crossed the tracks (if you go this way, be really careful as there are trains passing by often), and ran back towards my car where I got my first drink. This was right about 13 miles into the run. I came across two water fountains along the way before that (Discovery Park and Magnolia Park) but they weren't working, so I actually stopped and drank from a bottle I had in my car. I did take two gel packs which I used at miles 8 and 12.

Continuing on, I ran through Myrtle Edwards Park to the Olympic Sculpture Park and turned around. The distance was exactly 16 miles. I really don't think I could have gone any longer; otherwise, I would have ran 18. After 13 miles, my whole body was aching and my cardiovascular condition wasn't good either by this point. So, I still have a lot more work to do, but this was still a successful run, especially considering that the course was very hilly.

I wish I had a tiny camera with me that wouldn't bother me while I'm running. I only took one picture with my cell phone before I started running. This was a beautiful course--I highly recommend either running or biking it.

Total: 16.0mi Run; (2:08:03; 8:00 min./mi. pace; 1923 cal.; 148 lb.)

2007-02-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

I went for a nice little job around Seward Park. It was sunny, windy and cold. There weren't that many people around. My girlfriend took this picture.

Total: 3.0mi Run

2007-02-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

I felt good again today so instead of running 9 miles I ran 10 and tried my best to keep my pace at under 6:50. I just barely did it at 6:49. It was a struggle at the end, but not nearly as much as a week and a half ago when I ran 9 miles at a 6:48 pace.

Here's my breakout (at some point I'll graph these to compare make it easier to see how I'm doing over time):

Lap 1: 7:03 min./mi.
Lap 2: 7:03
Lap 3: 6:33
Lap 4: 6:25
Lap 5: 6:37
Lap 6: 6:55
Lap 7: 6:39
Lap 8: 6:42
Lap 9: 7:04
Lap 10: 7:11

Total: 10.00mi Run (6:49 pace)

2007-02-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

What a week--I can't stick to a schedule and I've been running just based on how I feel. Well, I felt good today so I pushed a 10k to a half-marathon. It's the same run I did on January 29th. This time I ran a little bit faster-- a 7:23 pace vs. 7:43. As on the previous run, I didn't take any water or gel packs. If I had known in advance that I'd be running that far, I would have taken a gel pack because the last 3 miles were tough (same story as last time).

A 7:23 pace is still pretty slow but this is a pretty hilly run. Next time I'll try something more flat, perhaps a run by Elliot Bay near downtown. I like riding hills on a bike, but I'm not a very good uphill runner.

Total: 13.1mi Run; 1:36:47; 7:23 pace; 1500 cal.

2007-02-15T15:08:00.000-08:00

I was thinking of doing another 10 mile run, but instead did just the reverse of yesterday--I ran a 10k. I didn't go too fast because of another mistake I repeated--I ate 1 hour prior to running. Sometimes it's tough to time your schedule just right especially when there's other work to be done.

I've noticed that my weight has been pretty much steady at 150 lb. or so. I think I want to get that down to around 142, 145 lb. maximum. That's when I feel the best and my results have been better at that weight. I'm 5'8" so that's a healthy weight as long as I don't go below 140 lb.

Total: 10k (6.2mi) Run; 6:58 pace; 717 cal.; 152 lb.

2007-02-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

I've taken the last four days off and so today I was just going to do a 10k but felt pretty good so I extended the run to 10 miles. I wasn't aiming for time at all but after a couple of miles I realized that I was going at a decent pace and so when I was getting a little bit tired I kept pushing myself to run a little faster. I didn't go under 7:00 min./mi. this time, but it was pretty close.

Total: 10.00mi Run (7:05 pace)

2007-02-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

Just a jog around the neighborhood... My pace was exactly 8:00 min./mi. I actually thought I went slower than that. I'm not really sticking to the schedule, but I'm relatively satisfied with how the training is going. I want to pick up the mileage a little bit in the next couple of weeks and I really hope I avoid re-injuring my knee or achilles tendon.

Total: 3.83mi Run

2007-02-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

It was a good day to bike--no rain. I pushed pretty hard and I was pretty winded when I got back from work. The bike is squeaking on some gears so I think it's time to put grease on the chain.

Total: 14.8mi Bike Ride

2007-02-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

I skipped cross-training yesterday so I moved up the 9-mile tempo run to today. Actually it wasn't much of a tempo run. I just wanted to get under a 7:00 min./mi. pace and it took all of my will power to do it. With about two miles to go I realized that I could make a 6:50 pace and just barely made it at the end (last week I wrote that I wanted to break 1 hour, but there was no way I could do that today). That's an important pace because if you want to go under 3 hours in a marathon, you need to go under a 6:51.92 pace (check out the pace calculator at Cool Running). So, to do that in Boston, I would need to keep the same pace I ran today for another almost 18 miles. That would be impossible for me today, or anytime soon, given the effort it took just to do it for nine miles. So, I have a lot more training to do if I want to even start thinking about braking three hours. Here's my breakout:

Lap 1: 7:00 min./mi.
Lap 2: 7:00
Lap 3: 6:30
Lap 4: 6:42
Lap 5: 6:49
Lap 6: 6:33
Lap 7: 6:54
Lap 8: 6:39
Lap 9: 7:05

Total: 9.00mi Run (1:01:16; 6:48 pace; 1076 cal.; 149 lb.)

2007-02-05T16:40:00.000-08:00

The weather was supposed to be 54 and partly sunny; instead, it was 45 and foggy. Based on the forecast my girlfriend thought it'd be a good idea to go some place new. We decided on Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Bellevue. It's very close to Seattle and over 3,000 acres, making it the biggest park in King County.

I charted out my course last night on the park's trail map. We started out at the Coal Creek Trailhead, which is actually outside to the northwest of the park, but it connects with it. It is also 3 miles long, which automatically makes my run 6 miles because that was the only way to get back to the car. BTW, I was "supposed to" run 16 today. So, once in the park, I picked out a route (shown in the map below) which I thought would be another five miles. It turned out to be much shorter and my final mileage was probably about 9.5-9.75 miles. My Forerunner read 9.29, but I lost the signal a couple of times and the trails I took were curvy. They were also muddy and hilly which made for a slow run--it took almost 2 hours!

The mud aside, the trails are great--there is lots of very green vegetation typical of a temperate rain forest, such as ferns, moss, and various deciduous and coniferous trees. I only saw two groups of 2 people along the way. The only drawback was that I could hear construction at the western edge of the park. It was actually barely noticeable, but it annoyed me that suburban sprawl is so close to a park that looks almost like a primeval jungle.

Total: 9.5mi Run

2007-02-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

It was going to be an eight mile run; instead, I only ran half of it. Part of it was because I ran by my girlfriend who was walking our dogs and they started chasing after me. The other part was that I didn't feel like running the whole distance. My goal was to run under a seven minute pace but I started out too fast.

It was very misty outside today. With Lake Washington and Mt. Rainier in the background it almost looked like a magical world, not unlike in the computer game Myst.

Total: 4.41mi Run

2007-02-02T11:57:00.001-08:00

I ran four miles. I felt weak again (???), but my schedule called for an easy run, so it wasn't a problem.

That's it for today...

Total: 4.0mi Run

2007-02-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

It's been five months since I last posted my monthly summary of my workouts. I think I must have been dispirited by my poor performance at the New York City marathon. January was much better and I think the next two months will be great. I noticed that I also worked out very little during the last winter. I am positive it has to do with the limited daylight and rainy weather.

By the way, I'm back to wearing my knee strap (the one I have is called the Knee Pro-Tec Patellar Tendon Strap). I thought it was back to 100%, but I now think it may never be. I injured it in January of last year. It started hurting after I ran a half-marathon this past Monday. The good news is that it feels pretty fine right now after an 8-mile run. I've been taking anti-inflammatory drugs and that seems to be helping along with the strap.

I didn't feel too solid today. It seems that some days I feel really good and on others pretty crappy. It reminds me of my high school days when I was running cross-country--in some races I'd do awesome and in others I'd suffer like a dog. I think the problem today was a combination of too much food for breakfast and not waiting long enough before running. I have to be more cognizant of timing my runs better. Secondly the tongue of my right shoe kept shifting sideways and was hurting the top of my foot so I had to stop three or four times to adjust it. That's not the sort of thing you want to be doing during the marathon so it's another example of why paying attention to such details is quite important.

Interestingly, all of my recent 8-mile runs (same course) have been within a minute:

1/24/2007: 56:29; 7:03 pace
1/27: 57:28; 7:10 pace
2/1: 57:01: 7:07 pace

I have another 8-mile run on Sunday and I'll try to go under a 7:00 min./mi. pace. Then next Thursday I have a 9-mile run and I'll try to go under 1 hour.

Total: 8.00mi Run (57:01; 7:07 pace; 958 cal.; 149 lb.)

2007-01-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

It was another beautiful day. I ran in the twighlight and it felt great--I took my time. The sky was a dark orange-red on one side and dark blue on the other with a full moon shining.

Total: 2.52mi

2007-01-30T20:21:00.000-08:00

Cross-training was on the agenda today. The weather has been really nice lately--albeit a little bit chilly in the mornings--so I thought it'd be a perfect day to commute to work. The ride there went by pretty fast and because it was only in the upper 30s, I almost didn't break a sweat. One thing I was afraid of slipping on ice patches. I encountered one while running on a sidewalk the other day. The snow from a few weeks ago is long gone; it's the runoff from sprinklers or other sources that can freeze up at night and be dangerous.

Total: 14.8mi Bike Ride

2007-01-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

I stuck with my guts and only did 13.1 miles instead of 16. It was a good run. I did feel a little bit weak the first 4 or 5 miles. Sometimes it takes me a while to warm up. I didn't take any water which worked out fine because I was hydrated. I was hoping to drink some along the way, but the public fountain at Seward Park wasn't working. Still, I didn't feel an urgent need to drink at anytime (if you're training just for a half-marathon, I don't think you need to carry any water with you unless of course you're not hydrated, which is difficult to gauge at times). A liquid gel, however, would have helped because the last two miles were a little bit tough. This was a good run (not in terms of time) because of continuity--I didn't need to stop to rest along the way.

Total: Half-marathon (13.1mi) Run; 1:41:15; 7:43/mi pace

2007-01-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to run 16 miles today according to the schedule I posted this past Tuesday. However, technically I am still a day ahead because the Boston Marathon is on Monday instead of the usual Sunday for almost all marathons. I think that 16 miles would be too much to run so early into training and I wanted to give my tendons a little bit of rest.

So instead my girlfriend and I went for a 5+ mile walk on the Sammamish River Trail. We were looking for a new place to take our dogs and this seemed like a good spot not to far away from Seattle (it's between Redmond and Woodinville). Now here's the funny part. It turned out--and not until we got near it--that the path goes right by Chateau St. Michelle and the Columbia Winery. So it's very close to the end of the Burke-Gilman Trail on which of course I've biked on many times before. As a matter of fact, my first long-distance bike ride just happened to go by there and then knowing the route, I rode there again just for the tasting.

We stopped at Chateau St. Michelle for a tasting and then walked back the same way. This was a wonderful walk. It was full of people, but we kept on the horse trail right next to the main path and so we didn't have to worry about keeping the dogs on a leash when there were people or other bikers going by. The whole area feels like you're in the middle of farm country. The trail runs alongside beautiful willow trees and the Sammamish River. Agricultural fields surround both sides of the trail. Indeed you are in a sense, but there are residential developments all around past the farms and I wouldn't be surprised if in the next few years what's left of the agricultural area will disappear. If you go there park just east of this intersection (it's the parking lot shown on this map).

As for tomorrow, even though I got the extra rest, I'll probably only run half a marathon.

Total: 5.49mi Walk

2007-01-27T14:16:00.000-08:00

I took yesterday off. As on Thursday, today was an 8-mile run. This time I tried to run at a more even pace and I did for the most part. My total time was almost identical.

Lap 1: 7:30 min./mi.
Lap 2: 7:24
Lap 3: 7:06
Lap 4: 6:53
Lap 5: 6:43
Lap 6: 6:48
Lap 7: 6:55
Lap 8: 8:02

Total: 8.0mi Run (57:28 total, 7:10 pace; 923 cal.; 149 lb.)

2007-01-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

We went for an easy 3 mile run in Edwards Park where I used to run a lot before I moved from Belltown to Seward Park. We ran from the north side of the park to Seattle Art Museum's new Olympic Sculpture Park. It's full of modern art pieces and young trees. If you like modern art in general, you'll love it. Here's a sample:

Total: 3.34mi Run

No Pain No Gain

2007-01-24T10:51:00.000-08:00

Today was my hardest workout of the year. When I got out of bed this morning I was pretty tired and even thought about not going. Fortunately, I changed my mind after a few more steps. I wasn't sure how to approach this "tempo" run. The first mile was mostly downhill so I wasn't feeling tired at all and so when I reached the mile mark I sped up. That became the plan--mile on/mile off. I pushed pretty hard and almost got under 7:00 min./mi. for the full distance. Here's my pace breakout:

Lap 1: 7:31 min./mi.
Lap 2: 6:04
Lap 3: 7:06
Lap 4: 6:30
Lap 5: 7:40
Lap 6: 6:27
Lap 7: 7:44
Lap 8: 7:23

Total: 8.00mi Run (56:29 total, 7:03 pace; 891 cal.; 149 lb.)

2007-01-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

The book I referred to a couple of days ago--The Runner's World Complete Book of Running for Beginners--has a running schedule for 18 weeks, not 16. So I'm starting 6 weeks late, but I think 12 weeks should be good enough. My plan is to follow the intermediate (25-30 miles/week) schedule for the next 4 or 5 weeks, and then if I feel really good I'll switch to the advanced schedule (over 30 miles/week). This is what my running schedule looks like for those next few weeks:

The schedule assumes that the marathon is on Sunday, but the Boston Marathon is on Monday, so today is an easy 3 mile run. I did a little bit less than that at, guess where: Seward Park.

Total: 2.38mi Run

2007-01-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

Yet another 5 mile run around Seward Park. I like going there. Running in shorts again as the temperature is around the mid to upper 40s.

Total: 5.27mi Run

2007-01-21T14:25:00.001-08:00

I did the same run as yesterday. I'm getting more motivated now to run pretty much everyday. That's because I've decided to run the 111th Boston Marathon on April 16th. I just barely qualified for it last year at the Vancouver Marathon.

My running schedule will be based on the one that's in The Runner's World Complete Book of Running for Beginners. In it, there are three marathon preperation schedules--each one has a daily schedule for 16 weeks--based on running difficulty. I'll probably pick the medium one but I'm not sure yet. I'll post it in the next week.

There are 12 weeks to go. I'm really looking forward to this one!

Total: 5.08mi Run

2007-01-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Another Seward Park run. This time I started from home, ran to the park, did a loop, and came back. That comes out to almost exactly 4.50 miles, but I wanted to make it 5 so I ran a little bit more around the block. I didn't stop except once to retie my shoe--I've been running pretty lax the last few weeks so I wanted to see if I can even run five miles without stopping! Thankfully I can still do it :-).

Total: 5.07mi Run (7:27 min./mi. pace)

[Backdated on 01/21/2007]

2007-01-16T22:06:00.000-08:00

We went for another run around Seward Park this afternoon. We got a couple more inches of snow this morning and the park was almost empty. We took our dog along again and he had a lot of fun, as did we. It's comedic how fast you can get addicted to a dog--it's the uncompromising loyalty... Anyway, I look forward to running in the snow again.

Total: 2.71mi Run

2007-01-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

We haven't been outside Seattle in a while and with the day off today we were going to go cross-country skiing. But, my girlfriend doesn't have skis and it was almost noon before we could leave so instead we went hiking to Twin Falls. It felt about 20 degrees colder than in Seattle upon arrival. The sign at the trailhead read "Emeregency Closure" but we went ahead anyway--it turned out to be a good decision because there were only a few fallen trees on the trail which we were able to bypass. We warmed up after a few minutes of walking and the wind died down. Most of the way to the two waterfalls is straight up, with a couple of small dips along the way. There was ice along the whole trail, and my girlfriend fell on her ass once ;-). Fortunately it was a soft landing and nothing got hurt. We took our dog with us and it was a lot of fun having him around. This is a great hike only 35 minutes from Seattle!

Total: 4.4mi Hike

2007-01-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

I ran to Seward Park, did a loop there, and ran back home. It's been below freezing for about a week now, but it was nice and sunny. The only thing I had to watch out for is ice on the sidewalks.

Total: 4.24mi Run

[Backdated on 01/15/2007]

2007-01-09T13:28:00.000-08:00

We went for another jog around Seward Park this morning. The weather was quite nice.

Total: 2.50mi Run

2007-01-08T21:43:00.000-08:00

I commuted to work. The ride back was a little bit tough because of a couple of pretty long hills. No rain though.

I got new booties that really help out a lot in the 35-45 °F temperature range. I already had toe covers but they're only good for ~45-55 °F. They were $50 at REI, which is too much I know, but I really needed them.

Total: 14.8mi Bike Ride

2007-01-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

We went for a short jog around Seward Park. We found some more downed trees--there were high winds last night--since the previous storm a few weeks ago! BTW, this was the first day without constant rain in quite a while--some of it froze and made for some nice formations on the car.

Total: 2.67mi Run

2006-12-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

It was quite cold this morning--there was frost on the car and grass. We went for another jog around Seward Park. My girlfriend was wearing her knee brace which seemed to help out and only stopped a couple of times. Is there another workout in store before the end of the year?

Total: 2.34mi Run

2006-12-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

I went to a gym this morning here in Nashville, it's called The Club at Westside. It's a very nice gym. It's huge by Seattle standards (much bigger than Rain Fitness for example) but not nearly as big as Chelsea Piers in NYC.

I ran a 10k on the treadmill. Here's my breakout:

Mile 1: 6.0 mph
Mile 2: 7.0
Mile 3: 6.0
Mile 4-6: 7.0
Mile 6.0-6.2: 6.0

Total: 10k (6.2mi) Run; 743 cal.; total time: 55:xx

2006-12-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

Map created by GPSVisualizer.com

Tracks:
- 20061222-220126

I'm in Nashville for the holidays. I went for a walk with my family at Edwin Warner Park. I walked for the first mile and a half with the gang and then ran by myself for four more. There was a beautiful sunset this afternoon...

Total: 5.68mi Run

2006-12-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

I haven't exercised at all since that last commute from work almost two weeks ago. With respect to that ride, there were parts of the route that were almost completely dark and my CatEye $40 light just doesn't cut it. Fortunately I found a solution: tough it out through the section that runs from Rainier Ave. up to MLK Jr. Blvd., most of which is dark. Then, when I get through the I-90 tunnel and down to Lake Washington Blvd., I take a right on Lake Shore Blvd. which is lighted. Most of Lake Washington Blvd. is completely dark and very dangerous unless you have a really good light. I'll post a map of the ride next time out.

Meanwhile, I'm posting a map of my run today. Well, it wasn't really a run, more like a jog, and it was enjoyable despite the drizzle and gray skies because I was with my girlfriend and her dog.

Total: 2.61mi Run

2006-12-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

I was about to leave for work this morning when I realized that my tire was flast again. I took it apart and put an extra patch on the tube. I got going 20 minutes later and on the way down a hill I noticed that the ride was really bumpy, yet it didn't look like I had a flat. I stopped right at the entrance to Seward Park and saw that part of the tube was pushing the tire outside the rim. The only choice I had was to let the air out and readjust the tube. The only problem was that I didn't bring a pump with me--I have a big stationary one at home, but I haven't been able to find my little one since I moved. Fortunately, there are always bikers that go by Seward Park and it's a frequent stop for those who do a loop around Lake Washington.

The first biker was a guy who said he only had one air cartridge (he didn't want to risk helping me in case he had a flat (I'd probably use it up anyways)); the second was a woman who only had a Presta compatible pump. Finally the third person, a woman on an older bike had the pump I needed. It was a small pump so the pressure was a little low, but good enough to get me to work (where I'm writing from). Hopefully by the time I leave this evening, it will still have air. Otherwise I'll try to find someone with a pump or otherwsie walk to a bike shop--there is one about a mile away. I need to get to one eventually so that might be a better choice. So hopefully I'll be riding back home in the dark tonight.

Here's a picture I took on Wednesday. The fog was clearing over Lake Washington and it was just starting to get sunny.

Total: 7.62mi + 7.18mi Return (?) = 14.80mi Bike Ride

2006-12-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

I commuted again yesterday. No hiccups this time! It was a very nice ride. The correct distance is closer to 8 miles I think. I got a ride back again because we went out to a bar after work. BTW, it's not a crime to bike drunk as long you're not a danger to anyone. I haven't tried it yet myself...

Total: 7.96mi Bike Ride

First Day as a (part-time) Bike Commuter

2006-12-04T23:05:00.000-08:00

It isn't really--I've ridden or ran a lot when I used to work about a mile from my apartment, but now I live further away. My inexperience really showed today. While my outfit was right temperature-wise, I forgot about rain (in Seattle!). I should have checked the local radar on the Web before I left. I knew that there was a chance of showers, but I didn't think it would rain--and pretty heavily too--the whole time (it started 2 minutes into my ride). I got completely drenched. No fenders and no rain gear, except for a water-reistant (but not water-proof) quick-dry/wind-proof bike jersey. That actually helped a lot, but my jeans did not. And I only wore toe covers instead of full-sized booties for my bike shoes!

On top of that, I got a flat--fortunately on an uphill, and only a few blocks from the end of the route. I didn't feel like trying to fix it there, so I called my girlfriend and she picked me up after work.

Total: 7.15mi Bike Ride

2006-12-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I've taken the last month off. Today I went for a short run/walk with my girlfriend around Seward Park. It was a very nice day today and we could even see the snow covered Olympics on the other side of Seattle.

I plan on picking things up a bit during December.

Total: 3.60mi Run/Walk

How Not to Run a Marathon (no miracles)

2006-11-09T23:44:00.000-08:00

The key to a good performance is training; to an excellent one, severe training. My last training run was on October 13th, four weeks before the marathon. So I shouldn't have expected to do any better. But I did because the day before I did a 2 mile jog and I felt pretty good with no pain, and after a couple of miles after the marathon started I felt pretty good and instantly knew that I'd at least finish it.

Here's what happened. I got up at 5:45am EST, which was difficult to do when living on the West Coast. I was out of the hotel by 6:00 and made it to the 42nd St. & 6th Ave. bus stop only a few blocks away--I chose the hotel location with that in mind. According to the NYC Marathon guide, if you don't get to the bus stop by 6:30, you have to take the Staten Island Ferry from Battery Park. So, if you decide to stay in Manhattan during your stay, I suggest getting one very close to one of the two bus stops (according to the guide, "To ensure your on-time arrival at the marathon start, NYRR [New York Road Runners] recommends that you use our official marathon transportation... Private vehicles, including charter buses, are not guaranteed arrival in time for the race start.).

I waited about 45 minutes to get on the bus. Then the bus took about an hour to get to the starting line staging area because the NYPD mismanaged the bus traffic flow near the Verrazzano Bridge. Just as the bus was crossing on the right side of the bridge, the disabled and wheel chair participants were starting on the left. It actually wasn't that big of a deal because the open field start wasn't until 10am! No kidding. I didn't read the marathon guide until I got to NYC--I previously thought it started at 8am or earlier, like most other marathons. So at the very minimum, you have to get up at least 4 hours before the starting time (unless you're disabled or a professional woman, in which case you could get up later because of an earlier start). That sucks, but to be fair, I don't see how the logistics could have been done differently with over 37,000 runners starting and the race being run through all of the five boroughs.

At the staging area, there are 3 different sections. I was assigned to the green section. When I go there, my first goal was to get to a toilet. I only saw two sets of 5 toilets with about 50 people waiting in line for each. I waited about 15 minutes with almost no progress and then I overheard a guy who said there were many more toilets further down behind a building. Sure enough, they were there and my wait was only a few minutes. To be fair again, the location of the toilets is listed in the marathon guide, but not at the event, the latter I think being much more important. Overall, the organization was excellent. I especially liked the mile markers posted every mile with the time shown on each one, and of course all of the water stops--both were more frequent than the other marathons I was in.

There were no other glitches. I ate two bagels and an energy bar about an hour and a half before the start (breakfast provided at the start!). The rest of the time I was just sitting on the curb trying to stay warm. It was only about 40 degrees so I chose to wear tights, a t-shirt and a long-sleeve shirt (both dry-fit), and gloves and a hat. That choice of outfit served me well at the Seattle marathon last year so I decided to stick with it. It turned out to be OK even though most people wore shorts and t-shirts (many threw away their long-sleeve tops as they ran). It did warm up to about 50, but I was never hot.

After the gun went off, it took me about 30 seconds to cross the starting line, so I was towards the front of the field (you have to line up based on your race number which is based on your estimate of your finish time). Even though we were on the lower deck of the bridge, I got a beautiful glimpse of the Manhattan skyline with two fire boats shooting off water in the foreground. I felt a little winded the first three miles or so. Afterwards I felt good and that's when I knew I'd finish the race, particularly because my Achilles tendon wasn't hurting at all. But maybe I felt too good because I thought I'd run a 3:15 or so.

After 5 miles or so, the crowds really started to pick up and there were people everywhere cheering and shouting. The vista wasn't that great--it was just 4 or 5 story brick tenements street after street, but I didn't care too much and was just focused on running. A couple of miles later, I saw a guy a few feet in front of me wipe out on the wet asphalt near a water stop. It looked like a very nasty fall; I don't know if he was able to finish.

At about this time, I was starting to get a blister on my right inner foot and I stopped twice to adjust my sock, but it didn't help. I got used to the discomfort and by the halfway point my joints and muscles were starting to hurt. This was the first time they started to hurt this early. I ran the first half at 1:36 so if I matched it I'd be at 3:12 at the finish. Not bad at all. But I knew that would be impossible. I was still hoping for 3:15. But the pain got worse and worse and by mile 18 I really started to slow down. The last 6 miles or so were really bad and I was stopping once or twice every mile to stretch, which only helped a little. By the way, my cardiovascular condition was fine, it was just the muscle and joint pain that slowed me down (the opposite of my last marathon). My body was not even remotely prepared to take that kind of a beating. Even today, four days after the race, I still can't walk straight (I think I'll be fine in a few more days). The good news is that my Achilles tendon didn't hurt and is going to be fine.

So, I ended up finishing at 3:38. If it weren't for the crowds and all the other runners in the race, there is a very good chance I wouldn't have finished. Will I run it again? Right now, I'd say no, and not because of my finish time, but because I want to run in other cities and I don't like waiting that long for the race to start. Plus on the finance side, $300+/night for a 2-star hotel is a little too much.

BTW, these are pictures my girlfriend (thank you for the beer at the finish line and everything else :-) took near and at the finish line. The woman in the picture was not the top finisher (Jelena Prokopcucka from Latvia). The guy with the yellow shirt was the men's top finisher (Marilson Gomes dos Santos from Brazil) and the second man in the picture with two guys is Kenya's Paul Tergat, the marathon world-record holder.

Total: New York City Marathon (26.2mi Race; 3:38:xx)

P.S. Lance Armstrong finished at just under 3 hours. Good job Lance!