43

I dont know why but 43 is bothering me. 40 didnt bother me and that was supposely a big one. Im no longer the meaning of life? At least its a beautiful day out. Im about to go run some speedwork with my buddy, what else would you do on your birthday when theres no races? Now does this mean I can start my new PR's? Naww I usually start that stuff over first of the year. Not sure how many miles I have done since last birthday any ways. Ok I know I could figure it out but who has the time. Dont answer that.

Ok I should get going the plan is to go run, some intervals at the park. Am I too old to hope there some nice legs there? Then out too dinner some where to be decided.

Star Trax

I sat around most of the day. I may of over rested for the race. Then I made what I thought was going to be a fatal mistake. I went to get pizza, and this was about all I did all day. But the mistake was how much of it I ate. TOOO MUCH!! I ate at 4 and race was at 9 so I was hoping for best after wards. I really should know better. I went over to Rick's and off we went to Salem. The Star Trax 5k is a night race that starts at 9 PM. They light lumanaries all along the route. It starts on the high school track. Do a loop around track, then thru the streets of town. You finish back on track, come into the stadium with all the lights on, big crowd for race and do a loop around track, to finish in front of grandstand. I fun race.
We did some warm up and lined up for the race. It was a good night to run, not too humid, not too hot. Good size race for area with around 450 runners. I actually got off to a slow start due to the crowd. I didnt think I could PR here but wanted a good race, since it was my last one has a 42 year old. I reached first mile marker at 8:27. I set my goal there to run it negatively. Along the next couple miles people along route set up sprinklers. Could of done without but didnt change route to avoid them. A little hotter they would of felt great. I got to 2 miles at 8:21, so plan was in place. And it wasn't real hilly but second half of race had more down inclines then the first. I entered the stadium to do loop on the track, they had the 3 mile marked, unlike alot of 5K's in area. So gotta love that, ran mile 3 in 8:02. Then I surprised myself, and sprinted the last tenth of a mile. Well for me it felt like a sprint. I pasted 4 or 5 runners on that last tenth. Saw a guy pushing a stroller for race in front of me and was able to past him right before finish line. The part thats hard to believe is that I didn't puke at the finish line. Finished in 25:26, Not a bad race overall.
Today, Sunday, was a busier then normal, went and met my normal running group and ran 9 miles. About half of it was on trails. Then took a ride up to Lake Erie. Went to Geneva on the Lake, and we went swimming. Not what you call a workout but more fun. Then went to eat at a place on the strip called Eddies Grill. Good food. The place was a motorcycle heaven up there. Long day.

Friday

No running today. Went to golf found out my sister lost 310 pounds of fat. She got rid of her current husband last week. (she works at golf course in evening, doesnt golf) Then ended up at a local festival. Ran into my running buddy Rick. Then saw my sister and her husband. Been a pretty full day. Why am I posting when I'm this tired? I dont know either.
I did an experiment with adding pictures, trying to spice it up. Wasn't sure it worked till I posted it, thats why no explantions of the pictures, not that any are needed.
Tomorrow I am sleeping in. Or hope too. I usually take wife to work then go to park and run. Since I got a race planned tomorrow evening. I know I race too much, deal with it. So I dont need to get up and do anything in morning. So thats tomorrows plan. Of course I need something to do till I leave for the race at 7 PM. The race course is lined with lumanaries. Ok there candles in empty milk cartons. Well more later.

Hill run.

I cracked the whip. I did my 5 mile hill run with my buddy. I think I poped a lung on the first hilll. Its a half mile with 210 feet elevation. Luckily lots of down hill then the second hill of .4 mile with 200 feet elevation. Gotta love living in a hilly area. No wonder I prefer to go run at park.

intervals

I got my half mile intervals in. 5.6 miles total, 6 hard half miles. The plans almost got ruined. I was supposed to my buddy at the track at 6. The track was closed for soccer or football practice. Wasnt any where measured off I knew of to run them, so ended up at this close park that doesnt really have any where to run. Its soccer fields and volleyball courts and bocce ball. But we did a quick measurement, ideally we wanted a half mile and a quarter mile. We ended up with a half mile that went down and into a loop back where we towards where we started. But it was over .3 mile back to start. So the recovery period was longer but got in the hard halfs. Of course had to run over a few soccer moms, jump over speed bumps, and it was mostly rolling hills. To top it off started to rain about the second half mile. It let up for a bit then when we were starting our last one it started to pour even harder. Well at least we got them in.

Presque Isle Half marathon

I got up early this morning and headed up to Erie for the Presque Isle Half. My wife and daughter went with me. Got up there about 6:30 or so got my shirt. I didnt know it before hand but they had pink shirts for ladys shirts and mens were gray. Heck I should of got the pink and gave it to my wife or daughter, Like I need more shirts. It had rained earlier and not sure if that made it worse or not. It was in 70's but I think the humidity was higher. After a not so quick restroom break we got started. My goal was to break 2 hours, but way the humidity was I wasnt sure I shouldnt adjust.
I started off good the first couple miles, then a few bad miles in there. And what felt like the right pace was just a little slower then I needed. At mile 8 I figured I couldnt break 2 hours. Now I think its head game. Maybe I could of pushed my pace, but I played it safe. I orginially wanted to hit the 10 mile mark at 1:30 to 1:32 then finish in like 28 minutes, but was a couple minutes slow. Then I finished the last 5K in 28:06. I was happy I finished strong, but was still a couple minutes slow, finished in 2:02:22. I think I hydrated right, but dang I was soaked at finished. Didnt think I could get any wetter. I was right, I took a jump in Lake Erie and wasnt any wetter.
Then we went over to the picnic. Had some hamburgers and beer. We normally go to the water park thats there after the race but for several reasons we decided not to. And the storm we drove thru on way home made me glad we did. Was raining rhinos and elephants, even pulled over a couple times cause I couldnt see. Then since I got home its been clear. Go figure.

Long run

I got in 14 mile long run today. It was extremely humid the first 8 or 9 miles. Then the rain let loose. Rained like elephants and rhinos. This was day 2 of 9. In 9 days me and Rick will do 2 5K's a 14 mile long run and a half marathon. Ran the Smokey Hollow 5K yesterday (Saturday) it was hot and hilly race. Well put together and overall a good race. But nost mile 2 was uphill. And alot of mile 3 was uphill too. Most people were a minute to 2 minutes slower then normal. I was about a minute and half slower then at Sharpsville 5K.
So now the plan is to do the Fredonia 5K on Wednesday evening. Its a planned training run, yea right. Then next Sunday I am going to Erie, PA for the Presque Isle Half Marathon. What a way to train for a marathon?? I might not be getting in alot of miles per week, but I am getting in my long runs, speedwork and hill runs so hopefully I will be ready. Not to mention my training races.

Firecracker 4 mile run

I got in a mile warm up then ran a hard tempo 4 miler. Some call it a race but I was thinking it was better to think of it has a tempo run. This usually last till I pass the starting line. So I tied on my Cleveland browns headband and went out it with what I had this morning. I still felt stuffed, too much pizza last night. ended up finishing in 33:40, (splits 8:07, 8:17, 8:49, 8:27). I had forgotten how much tough the hills at mile 3 were. I least I thought they were. I guess I finished about where I thought I would. Its one of the biggest events in area, 700-800 runners or theres about. Lot of people there lined up for the parade that follows the race. I didn't stick around for the parade, I got enough to do this afternoon cooking chickens on a spit so will be watching a fire all afternoon.