Yesterday was Memorial Day and for those of us in Denver and Boulder that means the Bolder Boulder 10k. This was the 8th year in a row I've ran it so it has become a tradition. The Bolder Boulder is a huge race with over 50,000 runners and walkers but you don't notice it until the end because you start in waves. Each year I have been able to move up in starting wave because it is based on your previous year's finish time. I was in wave #9 CB so I started early. One of my fellow runners Jennifer rode with me up there and ran in the same wave. She has always been a bit intimidated because she thought it was a huge mass of people and difficult to get in and out of Boulder for it. I have a system for this race: I drive up, park in the same spot that is near the start, run, walk back to the car (the race starts on one road and finishes inside Folsom Field - the football stadium for the University of Colorado) and drive home. I am home in plenty enough time to watch the elite runners on TV (they run after everyone has cleared the course) and then the program afterwards (they honor several veterans, have skydivers from each branch of the armed forces land in the stadium and have a flyover). This year worked out exactly as expected although I wanted to find an old friend in a later wave but I could not get back to the start before her wave took off.
My goal for this race is always the same: I want to finish faster than the year before. I did accomplish my goal and did it without looking at my watch for the whole race. I usually look at it a few times so I can pace myself but I wanted to hold off until at least the halfway point. I didn't look at it then so I decided I am going to run the whole race by feel. The course for the Bolder Boulder is somewhat tough in that there are lots of turns and you are going uphill from miles 1-4 until you reach the highest point of almost 5,400 feet then you have a good downhill section before you go back uphill to run into the stadium and finish. All in all I am happy with how I did but now I have to change gears and get ready for the Missoula Marathon in July.
I'm wondering if anyone else has run a race without a watch? I ran one other time where my watch went dead because I forgot to charge it but never consciously made a point of not looking at it.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Runstreak day 900
Today I reached 900 days on my runstreak. Note: A Runstreak is defined as running at least a mile a day.
I first started this back on December 3,2011 as part of the Runners World holiday runstreak in which they propose running a mile a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas to keep off the added pounds during the holidays. I started several days late mostly as a way to see if I could do it for a week and then kept going. The days keep piling up so now it is just a matter of how far I am going to run and where not if I'm running that day. It has involved some trial and error when I am getting close to a race to figure out what works best to keep the streak going and run like I want to during a race.
Here are my random thoughts on runstreaking:
- There are going to be good and bad days but tomorrow is always another opportunity to have a better run.
- The first week and month are the hardest.
- You have to taper down the distance of your runs the two weeks before a marathon.
- If you cross train with weight training cut out lifting legs extensively several weeks before a marathon.
- You are going to lose weight (and in my case strength) so you have to eat more.
- Your clothes aren't going to fit well anymore so be prepared to buy new, smaller clothes.
- People will keep telling you that you look smaller.
- I don't dread treadmills as much as I used to. There are times where I have no choice but to run on a treadmill even on good weather days. I realize most everyone would rather run outside but sometimes the weather or other factors make a treadmill the best option.
- The day after a marathon is tough but forcing yourself to run a couple miles really helps speed recovery.
I'm not suggesting or recommending that everyone should do this because for many it would lead to injury. I do know it has made me faster because my times in certain races still keep improving. If you want to change up your training it might be something to try on a limited basis. I think if you are structurally strong and not prone to injury then it might be an interesting change. Personally I am going to keep streaking as long as I avoid injury.
I first started this back on December 3,2011 as part of the Runners World holiday runstreak in which they propose running a mile a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas to keep off the added pounds during the holidays. I started several days late mostly as a way to see if I could do it for a week and then kept going. The days keep piling up so now it is just a matter of how far I am going to run and where not if I'm running that day. It has involved some trial and error when I am getting close to a race to figure out what works best to keep the streak going and run like I want to during a race.
Here are my random thoughts on runstreaking:
- There are going to be good and bad days but tomorrow is always another opportunity to have a better run.
- The first week and month are the hardest.
- You have to taper down the distance of your runs the two weeks before a marathon.
- If you cross train with weight training cut out lifting legs extensively several weeks before a marathon.
- You are going to lose weight (and in my case strength) so you have to eat more.
- Your clothes aren't going to fit well anymore so be prepared to buy new, smaller clothes.
- People will keep telling you that you look smaller.
- I don't dread treadmills as much as I used to. There are times where I have no choice but to run on a treadmill even on good weather days. I realize most everyone would rather run outside but sometimes the weather or other factors make a treadmill the best option.
- The day after a marathon is tough but forcing yourself to run a couple miles really helps speed recovery.
I'm not suggesting or recommending that everyone should do this because for many it would lead to injury. I do know it has made me faster because my times in certain races still keep improving. If you want to change up your training it might be something to try on a limited basis. I think if you are structurally strong and not prone to injury then it might be an interesting change. Personally I am going to keep streaking as long as I avoid injury.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Another Marathon
I could not resist and signed up for another marathon this year. This will bring my total to 5 even though I usually try and only do 4 a year to allow for some rest and recuperation time. My reasons for signing up:
1. It is close by
2. It's not that expensive
3. It is spaced out a month after one marathon and and a month and half before a 50k I'm running.
4. I just couldn't resist it!
5. It goes downhill almost 5,000 feet
This is the marathon if you care to join me: http://brooksee-events.appspot.com/rdv
1. It is close by
2. It's not that expensive
3. It is spaced out a month after one marathon and and a month and half before a 50k I'm running.
4. I just couldn't resist it!
5. It goes downhill almost 5,000 feet
This is the marathon if you care to join me: http://brooksee-events.appspot.com/rdv
Friday, May 9, 2014
The first 10k race of the year
Typically I only run marathons, half marathons or obstacle course races but I have two 10k races I do every year. One is for a good cause and the other is a tradition:
The Airlife Run (http://ezregister.com/events/8998/): This honors police, fire and EMS people and is held in memory of an AirLife (flight for life) helicopter that crashed about 17 years ago. It has a cheap entry fee, is only a few miles from house and is good practice for the other 10k I do.
The Bolder Boulder: There are over 50,000 runners in this race so you go in waves depending on the time you have the year before or some other race you might have done. Every year I keep going down in wave as my times have improved. This year I'm in wave CB. It is a fun race to do, somewhat hilly but you end by running into Folsom Field (where the University of Colorado Buffaloes play) and do a partial lap. I've done it enough years to know where to park when I get there, run, and leave town. You can stick around to watch the elite runners finish (they run at the end) and a Memorial Day program where they honor veterans but I prefer to get home and watch it on TV.
The Airlife Run (http://ezregister.com/events/8998/): This honors police, fire and EMS people and is held in memory of an AirLife (flight for life) helicopter that crashed about 17 years ago. It has a cheap entry fee, is only a few miles from house and is good practice for the other 10k I do.
The Bolder Boulder: There are over 50,000 runners in this race so you go in waves depending on the time you have the year before or some other race you might have done. Every year I keep going down in wave as my times have improved. This year I'm in wave CB. It is a fun race to do, somewhat hilly but you end by running into Folsom Field (where the University of Colorado Buffaloes play) and do a partial lap. I've done it enough years to know where to park when I get there, run, and leave town. You can stick around to watch the elite runners finish (they run at the end) and a Memorial Day program where they honor veterans but I prefer to get home and watch it on TV.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
April Recap
The first day of May means summer is around the corner.
In April I had 180 training miles according to Daily Mile (this includes any cardio activity) and for the year I'm at 646.6 miles ran. I really don't compare months but I think this is the most miles I've had this early in the year and I can feel it.
For the next month I'm running shorter and lifting heavier. I only have two 10k races in May so the running focus will be on speed. I have felt a bit worn down so I'm trying to get some strength and size back. I have had enough people tell me in the last two weeks that I look thin compared what I used to be. I don't weigh myself on a regular basis so I have no idea if I am more or less but I've noticed many of my clothes are loose fitting now. This is a side effect of the running, amazing how that works, you run a lot, eat good and you lose weight. Maybe I should market this idea! LOL
The last 9 days have been hectic in that I ran a marathon in Salt Lake City, went to Detroit for work and then Phoenix. It really makes you appreciate being at home when you have to travel that much. I used to keep a hectic travel schedule when I was in my 20's but now I set my own schedule so it is more manageable it just happened I had 3 trips in a row.
Since the last time I wrote anything the Boston Marathon occurred. It was a success however it turns out people made up fake bibs to run the race. Next year I guess they will need to have handheld scanners to make sure there is a chip on the back and it is a valid bib. My view is that is not the spirit of marathon running. Bandits have been tolerated for years in Boston and in other races but my view is run if want but don't use any facilities, aid stations or grab a medal at the end, you don't have the right to any of those.
What are your thoughts on the bib cheats at Boston?
In April I had 180 training miles according to Daily Mile (this includes any cardio activity) and for the year I'm at 646.6 miles ran. I really don't compare months but I think this is the most miles I've had this early in the year and I can feel it.
For the next month I'm running shorter and lifting heavier. I only have two 10k races in May so the running focus will be on speed. I have felt a bit worn down so I'm trying to get some strength and size back. I have had enough people tell me in the last two weeks that I look thin compared what I used to be. I don't weigh myself on a regular basis so I have no idea if I am more or less but I've noticed many of my clothes are loose fitting now. This is a side effect of the running, amazing how that works, you run a lot, eat good and you lose weight. Maybe I should market this idea! LOL
The last 9 days have been hectic in that I ran a marathon in Salt Lake City, went to Detroit for work and then Phoenix. It really makes you appreciate being at home when you have to travel that much. I used to keep a hectic travel schedule when I was in my 20's but now I set my own schedule so it is more manageable it just happened I had 3 trips in a row.
Since the last time I wrote anything the Boston Marathon occurred. It was a success however it turns out people made up fake bibs to run the race. Next year I guess they will need to have handheld scanners to make sure there is a chip on the back and it is a valid bib. My view is that is not the spirit of marathon running. Bandits have been tolerated for years in Boston and in other races but my view is run if want but don't use any facilities, aid stations or grab a medal at the end, you don't have the right to any of those.
What are your thoughts on the bib cheats at Boston?
Monday, April 21, 2014
Salt Lake City Marathon Recap
Well marathon #24 is complete. I didn't run as fast as I wanted due to a couple factors:
1. After my last long run of 23+ miles I came down with a cold and even though I am recovered my nose was running the entire race.
2. The race was at around 4500 feet which is lower altitude than where I live but the elevation map was a bit misleading. It was very hilly for the first 15 miles and that took the kick out of my legs. Usually my strongest miles are from 5 - 19 in a marathon I burned out a bit on the hills and my pace slowed substantially.
Overall it is a nice marathon but here are the pros and cons of the race itself:
Pros
1. Nice course in that it goes throughout the city so you see all different parts
2. Lots of well stocked water stations
3. Nice finish in that you can see it from a long way off (I like being able to kick it up at the end when I can see the finish line).
4. Easy to get to in that you can fly in, stay at the sponsor hotel and walk to the expo and take a bus to the start line. The hotel was only a few blocks from the finish.
5. Nice tech race shirt and medal
Cons
1. The beer at the finish line was Miller Lite (that is just wrong!).
2. They appeared a bit disorganized as far as confirming your entry with the active.com website. I had to e-mail them to get my confirmation number.
3. They didn't have much food at the finish. This is a huge half marathon race also so maybe they got most of it before us marathoners finished.
That is about it, now I start training for a couple 10k races I will be running in May.
1. After my last long run of 23+ miles I came down with a cold and even though I am recovered my nose was running the entire race.
2. The race was at around 4500 feet which is lower altitude than where I live but the elevation map was a bit misleading. It was very hilly for the first 15 miles and that took the kick out of my legs. Usually my strongest miles are from 5 - 19 in a marathon I burned out a bit on the hills and my pace slowed substantially.
Overall it is a nice marathon but here are the pros and cons of the race itself:
Pros
1. Nice course in that it goes throughout the city so you see all different parts
2. Lots of well stocked water stations
3. Nice finish in that you can see it from a long way off (I like being able to kick it up at the end when I can see the finish line).
4. Easy to get to in that you can fly in, stay at the sponsor hotel and walk to the expo and take a bus to the start line. The hotel was only a few blocks from the finish.
5. Nice tech race shirt and medal
Cons
1. The beer at the finish line was Miller Lite (that is just wrong!).
2. They appeared a bit disorganized as far as confirming your entry with the active.com website. I had to e-mail them to get my confirmation number.
3. They didn't have much food at the finish. This is a huge half marathon race also so maybe they got most of it before us marathoners finished.
That is about it, now I start training for a couple 10k races I will be running in May.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
The Slowest Race I've Ever Run
Everyone always writes blog posts about the fastest races they have done when everything has worked out well and they got a PR. I decided to do a 180 and go over the slowest marathon I have ever done. That race is the 2009 Boulder Marathon, here is the website: http://bouldermarathon.com/
A few notes about this race:
- I was getting back into marathons at this point and won a free entry to this race. I decided to run the marathon (rather than the half) because I figured it was a good training run.
- I had no clue what the course or elevation was like because this is what they have as far as a description:
"For decades, runners and walkers in Boulder County have enjoyed the beautiful scenery found on the Boulder backroads. With views of rolling farmland to the east and the majestic rocky mountains to the west, running on the Boulder backroads is always a memorable experience. For the serious athlete, the backroads are the perfect running surface – fast to run on, yet forgiving on the body – much less pounding than pavement. "
If you look on the website there is no course or elevation map. The course changes slightly each year but the elevation map looks like a roller coaster because you have over 10 hills that go up and down at least 100+ feet. Add in that the majority of this is on dirt and gravel roads and it is very hard on your feet and legs. You also have to consider that dirt roads get rutted from prolonged use so you have to constantly watch out so you don't twist your ankle. To top it off the start and finish is a third mile through an uneven grass field.
- The race that year started at 9 A.M. in early September. In Colorado September is still summer so it was in the upper 80's, dry and windy that day. In the years since then they have made the start earlier and and pushed it later in the year (this year it happens in October).
You combine all those factors and my lack of training and you end up with what I did that day: a 5:40 marathon. By the end I was just pushing to finish because that is all I cared about. It was so hot and dry that they were handing out full bottles of water to people at aid stations and telling us to take them with us. They ran out of emergency vehicles to pick up people who were dropping that they ended up using pick up trucks to pick up runners who needed aid. At one point I encountered a woman who was so disoriented that she asked for some of my water even though she had on a water bottle belt with a few full bottles! I didn't feel normal for about a week after that and decided I wasn't going to come in that unprepared again.
I did go back the following year and ran the 1/2 marathon and then the full marathon in 2012 (and was an hour faster). I wanted to prove to myself that I could run a better race when I was in condition for it. This is still one of the tougher races to do, it's hard on your legs and feet and there is a reason they don't have an elevation map on the website.
So what is your slowest race?
A few notes about this race:
- I was getting back into marathons at this point and won a free entry to this race. I decided to run the marathon (rather than the half) because I figured it was a good training run.
- I had no clue what the course or elevation was like because this is what they have as far as a description:
"For decades, runners and walkers in Boulder County have enjoyed the beautiful scenery found on the Boulder backroads. With views of rolling farmland to the east and the majestic rocky mountains to the west, running on the Boulder backroads is always a memorable experience. For the serious athlete, the backroads are the perfect running surface – fast to run on, yet forgiving on the body – much less pounding than pavement. "
If you look on the website there is no course or elevation map. The course changes slightly each year but the elevation map looks like a roller coaster because you have over 10 hills that go up and down at least 100+ feet. Add in that the majority of this is on dirt and gravel roads and it is very hard on your feet and legs. You also have to consider that dirt roads get rutted from prolonged use so you have to constantly watch out so you don't twist your ankle. To top it off the start and finish is a third mile through an uneven grass field.
- The race that year started at 9 A.M. in early September. In Colorado September is still summer so it was in the upper 80's, dry and windy that day. In the years since then they have made the start earlier and and pushed it later in the year (this year it happens in October).
You combine all those factors and my lack of training and you end up with what I did that day: a 5:40 marathon. By the end I was just pushing to finish because that is all I cared about. It was so hot and dry that they were handing out full bottles of water to people at aid stations and telling us to take them with us. They ran out of emergency vehicles to pick up people who were dropping that they ended up using pick up trucks to pick up runners who needed aid. At one point I encountered a woman who was so disoriented that she asked for some of my water even though she had on a water bottle belt with a few full bottles! I didn't feel normal for about a week after that and decided I wasn't going to come in that unprepared again.
I did go back the following year and ran the 1/2 marathon and then the full marathon in 2012 (and was an hour faster). I wanted to prove to myself that I could run a better race when I was in condition for it. This is still one of the tougher races to do, it's hard on your legs and feet and there is a reason they don't have an elevation map on the website.
So what is your slowest race?
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