3 Day Results

I would have to say that my 3 day challenge was a success simply by committing to it and accomplishing it. But after looking at the timed results, it would appear it was a success on that platform as well. Here is the mile by mile breakdown over a 3-day period:

Plan: Run 10 miles three days in-a-row
Route: A 5 mile out and back the same for all three days


Day 1

Legs felt sluggish from the start, but the goal was to finish with a 9 min. per mile pace (mission accomplished) and not burn myself out on day 1. It was also my first time running the route, so there were a few moments of: "OK, let's turn here."

Drink during run: Orange Gatorade
Food at 5 mi. mark: Strawberry Banana Gu

Day 2

Legs felt great from the start. Goal was to beat previous day's time, but keep in mind there is a day 3 (mission accomplished).

Drink before run: Red Bull
Drink during run: Orange Gatorade
Food at 5 mi. mark: Chocolate Gu (my favorite)

Day 3

Legs felt as sluggish as day 1, bottoms of my feet were sore and energy level was low. Goal was to simply finish the 10 mi without injury, somewhere between the finishing times of Day 1 & 2 (mission surpassed with exact time as day 2).

Note: As you can see the last 3 miles of Day 3 there was a gradual increase in mile time because I realized that if I picked up my pace, I could meet (or beat) Day 2's time.

Extra special Note: The final mile of all three days produced the fastest min. per mile pace.

Drink before run: Red Bull
Drink during run: Orange Gatorade (ok, there was a sale, so I bought a case of the orange; sheesh)
Food at 5 mi. mark: Espresso Gu (not my favorite, but it has a 2x caffeine)

The first thing that stands out are the negative splits across the board. (Negative Splits mean running the second half faster than the first.) These are ideal in all conditions and something we runners strive for (not all, but I'd be comfortable in saying most).

The second thing that struck me was that the third day had almost identical times as day two. Sure, day three was more consistent, but the 5 mile mark and 10 mile mark look very similar. With the way I was feeling on Day 3, these were unexpected results

The third thing would be the interesting number of calories burned per run. Apparently there is no equivalent in calories burned and how fast your finish time is. Maybe it lies in the pace per mile? More research is needed.

Well, there it is. My 3 day challenge is complete. Did the pre-run Red Bull produce faster times? Not sure about that one, but it is an interesting occurrence. Also, with my legs feeling the best on Day 2, it didn't create the best overall run... that I believe goes to Day 3 with each mile being run at a more consistent pace and the final 3 miles (arguably last 7 miles), run at an increasingly faster pace. Gotta love my Garmin — it has improved my running tremendously, by allowing me to see results.

Thanks for following along and adding comments on facebook. It added some motivation to get out there on day 3.

4th of July Weekend Plans

With it being a short week and my not having logged any miles this week, how about we plan an interesting challenge this weekend: 3 days, 3 runs, 30 miles, 1 lake. It'll be 10 miles a day, three days in a row around a gorgeous lake at sunrise.

I'll be at Clear Lake in Lake County, CA for the weekend starting Thursday night. The plan is Friday morning I'll rise just before the sun with my Garman and put in 10 miles. Then do it again Saturday and Sunday. Three days in a row is a lot for me since I usually run 3 times a week and rarely two days in a row.  

I'll be sure to share with you how it went when I return. Safe travels to those traveling and enjoy the weekend.

This post is going to be short, but I'd love to hear you plans for the 4th of July weekend. There are plenty of 5k and 10ks out there to be conquered...

When to Run - Pros/Cons

Yesterday there was quite the discussion of the best time to run, so I decided to give some PROs and CONs to portions of the day (of course this is in my opinion, but honestly is there really a bad time to run?)

Early Morning (4am - 8am)

PROs: The sun is down or starting to come up and the world is beginning to wake up and there is a great feeling of serenity when you run before the world begins to rumble. Chances are you will come across other runners out for the same idea and if you time it right, you can start in the dark and finish when the sun is rising and be ready to start the day. Great way to start your metabolism and increased blood flow early.

CONs: Too Early. Haha. Let's get the obvious out of the way: you don't get to sleep in. If it's the weekend, this may be your few days to hit the snooze. If you are starting before the sun comes up, darkness may be a factor. Also, cars leaving for work tend to be driven by half-awake people who haven't had their coffee so be careful.

Late Morning to Early Afternoon (10am - 1 pm)

PROs: You are able to get your run in before the day starts to really get going. If you are running through neighborhoods or parks they will tend to be less impacted with people due to work or school. You are also starting before the heat is at it's peak. At home parents: this may be your time to run while the little ones are at school.

CONs: The sun is out and depending on your area it can get warm early. Sunscreen may be needed along with proper hydration. This also may be inconvenient for those that work a 9-5. There is also the possibility of a lunch crowd the later you start. You could be surrounded by those speeding to run errands or those trying to squeeze in a 40 min run during their lunch break, so keep an eye out in case they don't.

Late afternoon (2pm - 5 pm)

PROs: This may be inconvenient for most people which can be a plus for you. Running areas will be less impacted with those avoiding the middle-of-the-day. You are also getting in some miles to burn off your lunch and activating your metabolism before dinner.

CONs: Heat will be at it's peak during summer and you will need to plan accordingly. Proper skin protection, water/sports drink will be required. Try to map your run to include water fountains or bring a few dollars to replenish your drink supply. This is also extremely inconvenient for 9-5ers during the week.

Evening (6pm - 9pm)

PROs: Depending on your start time a run before dinner is a great way to get your metabolism going pre-meal. The sun and heat should be low offering a more comfortable atmosphere. It's also a great way to bring the end to a day and run when the sky is filled with its' beautiful sunset colors.

CONs: If you have dinner before, running on a full stomach could be problematic. If you have a light dinner to make the run easier, you could be hungry when you return resulting in late-night snacking. The evening energy boost may also prohibit those that hit the sack early from falling asleep right away. Plus all the best television is on. :)

Night (9pm - Midnight)

PROs: This is a great time to run if done properly. It is generally pretty quiet the later you run as long as you are not in a major city running downtown on the weekend. The weather should be agreeable as long as it isn't too cold and foot traffic should be minimal.

CONs: Safety is an issue. It is late at night and the streets should be empty. If something happens such as an injury or you get lost, there may not be as many people around to assist you compared to earlier in the day. You'll also need to plan for no help from the sun and trying to run in well lit areas. Reflective clothing and blinking lights are highly recommended.

Thanks for the input from all you facebook-ers out there. Here is a link to the feedback. (Facebook required)

Mika: Official Training Buddy

My training buddy, Mika, is starting her journey back to 5 miles. For the last 8 weeks she has been  on doctor ordered house rest with very little physical activity, but last week she was given the approval to return to normal activity.

This last weekend it included long walks, chasing her sisters and lots of swimming. Sunday when she came home she was so tired, she passed out in her bed downstairs with her stuffed monkey and last night didn't even try to jump on the bed; instead she laid on her blanket at the foot of the bed (yes, she is extremely babied)

But now it is time for me to get her back into true form. Her goal distance is 5 miles. Normally she enjoys waking up with me at 5am and squeezing in some miles before (my) work. When I wake up in the morning and she sees me grab my Asics she jumps out of bed and wags her tail. But if I grab my Adidas or Jordans, she doesn't move and goes back to sleep knowing we are not running. SHE KNOWS. (That is her in the image above being a bum and sleeping in.)

We ran a mile last night when the sun went down and we'll slowly build back up to 5 miles. Just like us humans, she'll have to build her mileage back up after a long break. She is my little trooper and my running buddy. Always ready to head out the door and pound the pavement at any time night, day or dusk.

You can also visit her dogster page for additional fun with Mika. :)

Hit The Road Jack 10k Results

That road has been hit!

Distance:10k (or 6.2 mi.)

Garmin Time: 50:45

Avg. Pace: 8:06

Fastest Mile: 7:31 (mile 6)

It started off as a beautiful morning. I met up with a couple friends; one was running, the other not and we shot the poo before the race. When the race started, I wished my fellow running buddy good luck and he sped off (finishing at his goal of 45:10). The race started in historic downtown Sonoma Plaza and was a loop through neighborhoods and backyard vineyards. It was a beautiful course and tons of trees provided the much needed shade. 

Earlier on Saturday, I took an OVER/UNDER 52 mins. on facebook and the resounding response was go for 49 or 50. There was a moment around 47 mins. where I thought to myself "If I sprint the rest of this, I could hit 49." Unfortunately I didn't have enough gas in the tank. I was already running on pure adrenalin fumes to this point and was in position for the low 50s (which I was more than happy with - consistent 8 min miles is still pretty fast for me at this point in my training). But I picked up my pace and made a go for it running my fastest mile of the race on the final mile. I used every ounce of energy I had on the last mile and left it all out on the course.

Post-Race:

After the race we received our 10k T-shirts, some fresh fruit and since it is wine country, cheese. At the plaza they were preparing for the annual Ox Roast and sauce contest. (Left: Ox Roast. Right: Ox Sauce Contest Trophy) — sadly, I didn't get a chance to try the Ox (or sauces) because soon after the race we all enjoyed brunch at a local hotel. We sat outside and I ordered the burger and had a celebratory beer. The food, atmosphere and company was a great end to a fantastic morning. 

I was more than happy with my time and my speed playlist worked out fabulous. I'm glad I decided to Hit the Road Jack and participate. It was a great judge of how my speed training has been paying off and it is always nice to see the rewards of hard work.