I've enjoyed another week of solid preparation for my two target races later this summer: the August 18 Pikes Peak Ascent and the September 15 North Face Endurance Challenge. Tomorrow, I'll do a local trail race, the Run for the Hills 5K. It's just for fun but it'll give me some idea of whether I've made any progress on the speed front. Not that speed is my goal for the remainder of the summer. Both of my target races will depend on endurance, not speed. They are, for me, tests of finishing within the time limits. So, I'm not doing speed work this summer. On the other hand, I expect that my hill work and long runs would also benefit pace.
If you're a runner or a fan of the sport, your eyes this weekend (June 22-24) are probably on two cities with ambitious titles: Eugene, Ore., which bills itself Track Town USA, and Auburn, Calif., which boldly proclaims itself The Endurance Capital of the World.
The U.S. Track & Field Trials at Eugene begin today and continue through next week (see here for a complete schedule of television coverage: http://running.competitor.com/2012/06/news/2012-u-s-olympic-trials-track-field-tv-schedule_54150), and one of the oldest and most iconic endurance races kicks off early Saturday morning from Squaw Valley, Calif. It ends 30 hours and 100 miles later at Auburn, Calif. It's the Western States 100 of course. For an intro to the race see here: http://www.ws100.com/
This year's Western States, the 39th, promises to be incredibly competitive with many of the world's top ultra runners in attendance. (Unfortunately, favorite Kilian Jornet is a late scratch.) For a look at the men's race, see here: http://www.irunfar.com/2012/06/2012-western-states-100-mens-preview.html
Women's favorite Ellie Greenwood also leads an all-star lineup on the distaff side. Check here for a preview: http://www.irunfar.com/2012/06/2012-western-states-100-womens-preview.html
For an exciting and inspiring look at the 2010 race--a duel among four of the ultra world's elite: Jornet, Tony Krupicka, Geoff Roes, and Hal Koerner--check out the documentary film "Unbreakable." For more on the film, check out their website here: http://www.ws100film.com/
Showing posts with label Run for the Hills 5K. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Run for the Hills 5K. Show all posts
Friday, June 22, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Run with Dad
Happy Fathers' Day. Take your kids for a run!
My training continues with little in the way of drama. Happily. This past week's 22-mile long run seems not to have taken a toll on me. That's always a good thing. This week brings, among other things, a hill workout tomorrow (Monday) and a trail race (Run for the Hills 5K) on Saturday. Otherwise, it's an easy week with maintenance runs on Tuesday and Thursday and cross training on Wednesday and Friday.
The drama this week could be the weather. Hot and humid conditions are forecast for much of the week with highs in the low to mid-90s. Looks like I'll be up at 0 Dark Thirty most mornings.
Wow! Check out the flashy new garb that U.S. track & field athletes will wear at the London Olympics:
http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/06/14/us-olympic-track-uniforms-unveiled/
Lots has been made of recent studies that suggest potential adverse effects of excessive exercise. Amby Burfoot of Runners' World interviews two of the studies' authors here: http://peakperformance.runnersworld.com/2012/06/q-a-with-the-potential-adverse-effects-of-endurance-exercise-authors/
In case you decide not to read the entire interview, here's what I consider the most important take-away. It's a response by cardiologist James O'Keefe:
Of all the risks factors for premature death, perhaps the most malignant is low cardio-respiratory fitness--being "out of shape." Conversely, a daily exercise habit is the single most powerful therapy for improving both the quality and quantity of your life (that is something that adds years to your life, and life to your years). Getting just 30 minutes daily of moderate or vigorous physical activity can cut your risk almost in half for premature death, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and heart attack. People who regularly engage in physical exercise have markedly lower rates of disability, and an average life expectancy that is about seven years longer than sedentary people.
My training continues with little in the way of drama. Happily. This past week's 22-mile long run seems not to have taken a toll on me. That's always a good thing. This week brings, among other things, a hill workout tomorrow (Monday) and a trail race (Run for the Hills 5K) on Saturday. Otherwise, it's an easy week with maintenance runs on Tuesday and Thursday and cross training on Wednesday and Friday.
The drama this week could be the weather. Hot and humid conditions are forecast for much of the week with highs in the low to mid-90s. Looks like I'll be up at 0 Dark Thirty most mornings.
Wow! Check out the flashy new garb that U.S. track & field athletes will wear at the London Olympics:
http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/06/14/us-olympic-track-uniforms-unveiled/
Lots has been made of recent studies that suggest potential adverse effects of excessive exercise. Amby Burfoot of Runners' World interviews two of the studies' authors here: http://peakperformance.runnersworld.com/2012/06/q-a-with-the-potential-adverse-effects-of-endurance-exercise-authors/
In case you decide not to read the entire interview, here's what I consider the most important take-away. It's a response by cardiologist James O'Keefe:
Of all the risks factors for premature death, perhaps the most malignant is low cardio-respiratory fitness--being "out of shape." Conversely, a daily exercise habit is the single most powerful therapy for improving both the quality and quantity of your life (that is something that adds years to your life, and life to your years). Getting just 30 minutes daily of moderate or vigorous physical activity can cut your risk almost in half for premature death, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and heart attack. People who regularly engage in physical exercise have markedly lower rates of disability, and an average life expectancy that is about seven years longer than sedentary people.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Slouching toward Eugene
I completed another long run this morning. This time, twenty-two miles. The weather was cooperative--cool and dry--but my lower body was not. Especially, my left ankle. The ankle began to tweak around mile nineteen or so, but I continued to grind to the end. Probably not the smartest thing. We'll see how it's doing tomorrow.
Anyway, barring any continuing problems, I'll do cross-training tomorrow and Saturday, a one-hour maintenance run on Friday and a trail run on Sunday.
No long run next week--thankfully--but I do have a race scheduled for Saturday, the 23th. It's the inaugural Run for the Hills 5K at Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf, Iowa--my hometown. It should be fun.
The U.S. Track & Field Trials for the London Olympics are coming up soon: June 22-July 1. For a complete schedule of events, see here: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-239-569-0-14364-0,00.html
Everything you want to know about the Trials can be found here: http://www.runnersworld.com/olympic-trials
Here's commentator Roger Robinson on the rousing spectacle and high drama of the Trials: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-239-569--12641-1-1X2-3,00.html
Excellent profile of marathoner Shalane Flanagan, who qualified for the U.S. team in the marathon back in January and will also try to make the team in the 10,000 meters at the Trials: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-239-567--13858-0,00.html
Despite the predominance of the African women in the marathon, I wouldn't be surprised to see Shalane on the medal stand in London!
I'm getting excited and the Track & Field Trials is still a couple of weeks away. I'm especially keen to see the 400, which I ran in high school, the 800, the 5000, and the hurdles. Other than the 400, I can't explain why the others appeal to me. Why the 800 but not the 1500? Why the 5K but not the 10K? Also, while I'm not excited about the 100 or 200--where's the drama if Usain is healthy?--I love watching the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relays. Sprints are like drag races-- full-speed-ahead, blink-and-you-miss-it--while relays are like carefully-choreographed ballets performed in traffic. Anyway, I'm excited.
Anyway, barring any continuing problems, I'll do cross-training tomorrow and Saturday, a one-hour maintenance run on Friday and a trail run on Sunday.
No long run next week--thankfully--but I do have a race scheduled for Saturday, the 23th. It's the inaugural Run for the Hills 5K at Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf, Iowa--my hometown. It should be fun.
The U.S. Track & Field Trials for the London Olympics are coming up soon: June 22-July 1. For a complete schedule of events, see here: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-239-569-0-14364-0,00.html
Everything you want to know about the Trials can be found here: http://www.runnersworld.com/olympic-trials
Here's commentator Roger Robinson on the rousing spectacle and high drama of the Trials: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-239-569--12641-1-1X2-3,00.html
Excellent profile of marathoner Shalane Flanagan, who qualified for the U.S. team in the marathon back in January and will also try to make the team in the 10,000 meters at the Trials: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-239-567--13858-0,00.html
Despite the predominance of the African women in the marathon, I wouldn't be surprised to see Shalane on the medal stand in London!
I'm getting excited and the Track & Field Trials is still a couple of weeks away. I'm especially keen to see the 400, which I ran in high school, the 800, the 5000, and the hurdles. Other than the 400, I can't explain why the others appeal to me. Why the 800 but not the 1500? Why the 5K but not the 10K? Also, while I'm not excited about the 100 or 200--where's the drama if Usain is healthy?--I love watching the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relays. Sprints are like drag races-- full-speed-ahead, blink-and-you-miss-it--while relays are like carefully-choreographed ballets performed in traffic. Anyway, I'm excited.
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