Next Five Weeks

Daily Quote: "The most important element overall is going to be your attitude. With a positive attitude miracles can occur. With a negative one, disaster is certain. The catch is that in the midst of going as fast as you can and having your body going into full mutiny over it, a positive attitude can be just about impossible to conjure up." --Mark Allen, champion triathlete

My next five weeks I'll be peaking for the "9th Annual 4th of July 5K Blast" that will be held on Saturday, July 4th. I'm planning on running seven days a week as to keep my streak alive and within those weeks will be three hard runs. The three hard runs will be on the treadmill consisting of a long run, intervals, and a hill program. The rest of the week will be short, easy recovery runs done on the roads...yup, I know June is going to be hot, but need to acclimate to the heat as the race will also be hot. The following is how I plan to train during the week:

• Monday: Hill Program.
• Tuesday: Recovery Run.
• Wednesday: Long Run.
• Thursday: Recovery Run.
• Friday: Recovery Run.
• Saturday: Intervals.
• Sunday: Recovery Run.

The above plan is not set in stone, if I need to change the schedule for whatever reason I won't be afraid to do so, my main emphasis will be getting to that starting line strong, fit, and injury free.

Today is going to be nice and easy.

8:00 a.m. Recovery Run. 5 miles. Time, 49:35. Overall pace, 9:55 minutes per mile. Out and back on Alta Road (the main bike route to Red Rock Canyon). Sunny, HOT, 86 degrees, wind SW at 6 mph. Average heart rate: 143 bpm. Cardiac drift: 149 bpm. Body feels good, no aches nor pain and looking forward to a tough hill program tomorrow at 24 Hour Fitness.

A short recap of last week's training when I was recovering from my 10k race:

• Monday: Recovery Run, 3 miles.
• Tuesday: Recovery Run, 4 miles.
• Wednesday: Recovery Run, 4 miles.
• Thursday: Recovery Run, 4 miles.
• Friday: Recovery Run, 5 miles.
• Saturday: Intervals, 5 miles.
• Sunday: Recovery Run, 5 miles.

Last week was the lowest mileage week in quite some time, only 30 miles! Next week I'll be running a 15 mile Long Run, which will increase my weekly mileage substantially. Since I'll be having three hard runs per week, my emphasis will not be mileage, but quality. After my race on July 4th I'll start my usual base building for the summer.

My Next 5k Race

Daily Quote: "Ambitious personalities find it difficult, if not impossible, to do nothing but easy training. It seems such a waste of time. Yet, I've seen good runners turn pale and haggard from too much hard training. They were exhausted and refused to acknowledge it. Some contracted serious illnesses that took them permanently out of the competitive game. In my case, experience has taught me the value to taking time off. Now, recovery is just another necessary 'training' period, scheduled as a matter of course." --Brian Clarke, from his excellent book, "5k and 10k Training."

Only one more day of easy recovery running and then I can start training for my next 5k race. I've finally decided what race to run next! I have a few priorities, the race must be short, a 5k distance, due to the upcoming heat of Las Vegas. I would also like to run a course that's flat for a change as to offset the tough weather and should be one that I've ran before as not to be surprised or distracted on the tangents and can put my full focus on my race effort. My last two races I didn't really have a training period with the appropriate peaking, therefore, I would like at least 4-5 weeks to train before my race. Drum roll, my next race will be the "9th Annual 4th of July 5K Blast" that'll be held on Saturday, July 4th!!

Most of the above criteria has been met for the "9th Annual 4th of July 5k Blast," it's a 5k race that's run on a very flat course and is five weeks away. I've ran this Bunker Park course five times in the past and have set 5k PR's at Bunker Park twice! I now have a target race and can create a peaking and tapering schedule for this event...my 5k race training officially starts this Saturday.

Today is another day of active recovery from last Saturday's 10k race.

9:00 a.m. Recovery Run. Four miles. Time, 39:33. Overall pace, 9:53 minutes per mile. Out and back on Torrey Pines Road, which partially traverses the Las Vegas Marathon route. Partly Cloudy, 83 degrees with wind NW at 6 mph. Shoes: Nike Air Structures. Body feels very good and anxious to start training hard again...only one more day of recovery before I start my next training cycle!

Later, after work at 12:00 a.m., I plan on accomplishing a session of weight circuit training. I've been lagging on lifting weights and hope to become more consistent.

Recovery From 10k Race

Daily Quote: "It's common for leftover hormonal energy to linger for 24 hours after a race. Some hormones gear your body up for exertion while others are natural pain killers. Such hormones have a life cycle that can overlap postrace training, but those hormones dissipate eventually. Thus the second day after a race is likely to be the worst in terms of energy and inflammation. This low-energy and potential-injury syndrome is exacerbated by hard training immediately after a race. No matter how you feel the day after a race, you should refrain from hard training in anticipation of the inevitable postrace low." --Brian Clarke from his excellent book, "5k and 10k Training."

I didn't feel any leftover hormonal energy 24 hours after my 10k race, I was totally spent and slightly sore, but did take a very easy recovery run of three miles. The second day after the race my right ankle was a tad sore, but after two more days of easy recovery runs, I now feel no pain nor aches. Nevertheless, I'll be continuing my easy recovery runs until Friday, Saturday being my first hard run. I normally give myself easy run days for every mile I raced...hence, I raced six miles and therefore giving myself six easy recovery runs with no long runs nor hard workouts. The following is my recovery runs after my race last Saturday:

• Sunday: Easy Recovery Run, 3 miles @ 10:06 pace.
• Monday: Easy Recovery Run, 3 miles @ 9:59 pace.
• Tuesday: Easy Recovery Run, 4 miles @ 10:01 pace.
• Wednesday: Easy Recovery Run, 4 miles @ 9:56 pace.

Pretty boring stuff, but necessary for me to totally recover before I start training for my next race, which will probably be a 5k distance due to the Las Vegas heat. All my recovery runs were done on the roads and in the heat (approximately 82-86 degrees) as I hope my body will be better acclimatize for my next hot race. I'm anxious to start training hard again! I'm planning on intervals this Saturday, but on the treadmill, so I can train safer and harder.

The final results of the "8th Annual 'Come Run in the Sun 10k Race'" were finally posted on the Las Vegas Running Team site. I'm in the men's 55-59 age category.

Come Run In the Sun 10k Race

Daily Quote: "Racing ability is the capacity to exert yourself exactly as you want in a particular race. You should have at least enough stamina to cover the distance without stopping, enough muscle power to run relaxed at your racing pace, enough tempo ability to run comfortably at that pace, enough endurance to sustain the pace against the onslaught of second-half fatigue, and enough speed to outsprint your competition at the finish." --Brian Clarke, from his excellent book, "5k and 10k Training."

Today I'll be racing the "8th Annual 'Come Run in the Sun' 10k Race!" I've ran this race before and had to search deep in my logbooks, all the way back to May 29, 2004. The year 2004 was a good year as I was setting many personal records in distances from 5k, 10k and marathon distances, BUT didn't set any personal records on today's brutal course. This out-and-back course is one extreme uphill with a turnaround so steep many were reduced to walking up the rest of the hill...the downhill was simply brutal as I free-fall down with tremendous force on my joints. My time in 2004 was 56:19 and I suffered a plantar fasciitis injury that took eight months to heal.

Not practical to strive for a 10k personal best on this course, therefore I've set my Garmin Forerunner training partner (I call him Garfield) for 56 minutes as I strive to set myself a personal course record, it would also be nice to win a top three placing in my age group of 55-59 years old (I'm 57 years old.) too. Needless to say, I hope this time I don't injure myself either. Can I beat that 2004 result when I was five years younger and two pounds lighter?

I was torn between wearing my racing shoes, ASICS DS Trainer, or the heavier NIKE Air Structures that would give me more support and cushioning for the downhill portion of the course. I decided on wearing the lighter ASICS DS Trainers and hope to remind myself to run softly as I have the thoughts of injuries dancing in my head.

The weather today is warm at 7:00 a.m., partly cloudy, 76 degrees with a light wind, and a tad better than last weekend's 5k weather with temperature at the start being 82 degrees and sunny. (2004 the weather was sunny and 70 degrees)

7:00 a.m. Eldorado High School.
Mile 1, 7:45 minutes. 7:45 per mile pace. Average heart rate 174 bpm. We're off as I try and avoid stompling several very young runners who are waist high to me. I feel good, and strive to keep a nice rhythm as the course starts to climb upwards to Sunrise Mountain by Washington Avenue. I've made a nice gap with Garfield, I won't get cocky as the worst elevation grades are yet to come.

Mile 2, 17:04. 9:19 per mile pace. Average heart rate 181 bpm. Still climbing Washington Avenue as the course progressively gets steeper. I'm already huffing and puffing. I strive for shorter steps with higher leg turnover and keeping my head looking to the horizon rather than my feet. I'm passing many runners who started out too fast and are paying the consequences during this steeper portion, but I know the worse grades are yet to come. I'm still ahead of Garfield, although he has closed the gap.

Mile 3, 26:07. 9:02 per mile pace. Average heart rate 180 bpm. Past Hollywood Boulevard, right turn on Los Felize, and soon approaching the street of Linden Street where the highest, steepest point and the blessed turn-around. Several runners have passed me, don't they know about the very steep turn-around? Shouldn't they be conserving energy? I skipped the water station as to save time. Garfield is still behind me and isn't getting closer.

Mile 4, 36:14. 10:07 per mile pace. Average heart rate 187 bpm. Left turn on Linden Street when your breath is taken away as you look up and see the turn-around on top of this huge hill! I passed several runners who are now walking as I'm now reduced to running by baby steps. I'm pumping my arms and the legs don't want to follow suit. Finally reached the turn-around and I'm free-falling down the hill...I can hear my feet hitting the pavement loudly, must try to run softer or suffer the consequences! The downhill is so steep that I have to place my arms out farther from my body for balance. I'm dismayed as Garfield is now 200 feet ahead of me, I hope to catch him soon.

Mile 5, 43:57. 7:42 per mile pace. Average heart rate 178 bpm. Downhill on Washington Avenue feels so easy, yet I'm striving to control my body, my feet wants to stray too far ahead of me that would cause a breaking action. I'm now running softer with no audible sounds from my feet. I feel totally whipped and didn't respond when three runners passed me. I skipped another water station. I'm so very thirsty, yet I'm obviously in anaerobic zone and would choke on the water if I tried to drink. Garfield is still behind me and I'm confident I'll beat him since we're so close to the finish line.

Mile 6. 54:50. 8:57 per mile pace. Average heart rate 176 bpm. Still running down Washington Avenue, but don't remember the rest of the race as I've pretty much blocked out all pain and totally disconnected myself to my running. Usually I remember every facet of the last exuberant mile, but nada, nothing, a blank. I was in so much pain that my body went on auto-pilot and my mind took a vacation in la-la land.

Last .22 mile. 54:50!! 8:52 per mile pace. Average heart rate 177 bpm. I don't remember running across the timing mats. The last thing I remembered was two girls asking me if I was o.k. They later told me that I would have continued running to Utah as I didn't stop in the chute to have my chip removed and continued to run another 50 feet before someone stopped me. This weird experience is a first for me.

I beat Garfield by one minute and ten seconds!! My Garmin time was 54:50, BUT the computer chip time says I ran the course in 55:08. I'll take that result and now have a new course record. I also placed third in my age division of 55-57 years old. I received a fancy framed certificate for my achievement.

My body is very sore and tired. My right ankle is complaining and right knee is throbbing a little, overall I'm o.k. Now I know why it took me five years to run this course again, I wouldn't mind waiting another five years!!

I don't know when I'll race again, maybe another race before summer, I'll have to look at the Las Vegas Running Team's race calendar soon.

A Weekday Long Run

Daily Quote: "The primary problem is to start a race at the eager level. Peaking, tapering, and carbohydrate loading are imporant aspects of a solution to this problem. Having effective pre-race routines and knowing how to focus your attention are two other important aspects of the competitive game." --Brian Clarke, from his excellent book, "5k and 10k Training."

Since I didn't have a Long Run last weekend due to my 5k race and later recovery, decided to run my 15 miler today, and still have the next two days to taper for my next race. This Saturday I'll be running a 10k race, "Come Run in the Sun," and haven't really peaked for this race, and running a 15 miler today may not be the greatest idea. I decided against speedwork today as my races will be my speedwork.

8:30 a.m. 15 miles. 24 Hour Fitness Club, Alta & Rainbow Avenue. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. 6 mph (10 minute per mile pace). Time, 2:30. Average heart rate: 143 bpm. Cardiac drift: 151 bpm. No aches nor pain and I'm fully recovered from last weekend's race. Decided to run very slowly today, which made the treadmill experience that much more boring! When summer arrives all my runs will be on the treadmill, then I'll start my base building season.

I did bring my CD player and listened to two CD's, Coldplay's Viva La Vida (or Death and All His Friends), and ZZ Tops' "Live From Texas." I felt pleasantly exhausted and thankful today is a slow workday driving my cab.

Another Upcoming Race

Daily Quote: "Whether it's the pyramid or food groups, I eat a lot of vegetables. I don't eat any refined sugar anymore, and I found that increased my desire for fruit. Eat a lot of granola and whole grains, and lot of fish --lot of salmon. I eat meat maybe once every two weeks. Because I think there are some essential amino acids in meat that you just need. In other words, I eat meat to craving. I crave some red meat maybe once every two weeks." --Frank Shorter, Olympic Gold Marathoner.

I've been eating more plant protein and less animal protein, and should be more like Frank Shorter, and eat less refined sugar...I'm a Jelly Belly candy addict.

Today was a very easy three miler on the gym's treadmill as yesterday I ran a 5k race in brutal heat.

8:30 a.m. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade, 6 mph. 3 miles. Time, 30 minutes. Overall pace, 10 minute miles. Average heart rate, 145 bpm. Cardiac drift, 149 bpm. Heart rate during my run is slightly elevated as I'm still recovering from the race. My morning heart rate was also a little high, 45 bpm. My body feels great, no aches nor pain, and my right knee appears to be completely healed now.

Since summer is fast approaching, I decided to race again next weekend. The race is called, "The 8th Annual 'Come Run in the Sun' 10k Race." The last time I ran this race was five years ago! It's a very tough out-and-back course with one extreme uphill towards Sunrise Mountain and a free fall back to the starting line. Hopefully the temperatures will be cooler than this weekend!

Runnin' For the House 5k Race

Daily Quote: "Sometimes, when my energy is as good as it gets and the competition is also there, I might decide to run all-out/eager. But I never go into a race intending to run all-out because I'm never sure that circumstances will favor all-out racing. Racing all-out/eager can be extremely difficult and dissonant. By contrast, very hard/eager is harmonious and exhilarating. So I aim for the mentally acceptable racing level, and I deal with unforeseeable circumstances as they arise in the defining moment of a race." --Brian Clarke, from his excellent book, "5k and 10k Training."

Today I'll run the "Runnin' For the House 5k Race" and didn't need to look for any unforeseeable circumstances to alter my racing as this weekend Las Vegas has an excessive heat watch. An excessive heat watch means that a prolonged period of hot temperatures is expected. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Therefore, I decided my acceptable racing level will be comfortably/hard with my focus being to place high in my age group and not strive to accomplish a personal record.

I registered for the race yesterday morning as to avoid the stress of long lines during race morning; I also had the idea that I'll be less likely to skip the race due to the weather. Wasn't long ago when I opted to skip the "Labor of Love 50k Race" due to extremely high winds, and wasn't going to make it easier to DNR (did not run) in this race.

I arrived home from work on Saturday morning at 12:30 a.m., due to my being overly excited with racing this morning couldn't sleep until 1:30 a.m. The race starts at 7:00 a.m. and set my alarm for 6:00 a.m. I awoke from a deep slumber and stumbled into my racing gear.

The Ronald McDonald House is only two miles from my home, which made it very easy for me to get there and accomplish my 20 minute warm-up routine. It's already 81 degrees!!! Approximately 260 runners were prepared to start.

I'm in the third line from the front of the starting line. The race director did the usual race announcements and course outline (a loop course), and the time was already 7:05 a.m. The race director than had a message from the organizer to postpone the start for 10 minutes as many others are still in the registration line. His announcement of a 10 minute postponement brought about a unison of groans. Oh well, more runners mean more charity money for the Ronald McDonald House as I strive to stay positive.

I didn't want to leave the starting line as I was very warmed up already, therefore chatted with several other runners...most have been racing throughout the Spring and this will be their last 5k race for the season...funny, this is my first 5k race for the season, as I spent the Spring season training for my failed "Labor of Love 50k Race." The "Running For the House 5k" has 10 year age groupings rather than the normal 5 year age groupings...and noticed several targets in my age group of 55-64 (I'm 57 years old).

7:18. The race horn blows and we're off running!! Starts off exiting Potosi Street and taking a right onto Sahara, too many runners and was only able to get as close as six feet from the tangent. Sahara Avenue is a gradual uphill street, which helps me pass several runners, as they had started out too fast.

We make a right turn onto Jones Blvd that's flat and was able to pass several more runners, approaching the mile marker and glanced at Garfield (name of my Garmin Forerunner's training partner) and was shocked to realize I forgot to hit the start button!! Oh well, no motivation from Garfield today, nor a more accurate race report. I believe my pace was around 7:20 for the first mile.

We then make a right turn on Oakey Blvd, which is all downhill to Decatur, hit the tangent perfectly with just inches to spare. Several runners breezed past me during this Oakey stretch as I'm not the greatest downhill racer, but I'm doing a good pace in this heat and still feeling strong.

Went past the two mile marker and now making a right turn onto Decatur, which is somewhat flat, and was able to catch a few who had passed me during the downhill stretch. I'm really feeling the heat, my throat is parched and sweating profusely.

As we approach the turn on Sahara I can feel myself slowing down and started my mantra mode of "NEVER GIVE UP!" Sahara Avenue is gradually uphill again and I'm struggling, forcing myself to keeping tall and focus on quick turnovers, but feet didn't seem to want to cooperate as I pushed onward and upward. I didn't pass anyone, nor did anyone pass me.

We finally make it to the last turn on Potosi Street and one runner just blasted past me...I notice the huge computer timer ticking away and was just hitting 24 minutes...frustrated, I lifted my knees and started my own sprint to the finish and almost caught the runner who passed me.

I didn't even notice the final time as I crossed the finishing mats. Five minutes later after drinking some water went to the results table and discovered I won third place out of nine runners in my age group. My time was 24:27. Pretty slow result, but acceptable due to the weather.

We had a pancake breakfast (I skipped the sausage patty) with a variety of fruit, coffee and orange juice. Watched the raffle results, as usual, didn't win anything. Finally, the award ceremony when Ronald McDonald placed my 3rd Place medal around my neck, somewhat surreal to have this icon giving out awards and wished my grandchildren were here to witness it.

Returned home and slept for five hours in my racing clothes, didn't even bother taking my racing shoes off.