Time: 45:26
Distance: 9.04 km
Pace: 5:02/km
Map
The Craft GM has been training for the Vermont City Marathon at the end of May and today's run called for 15 miles. He came up with the plan to run from his home in Hamilton and meet Meagan and I at the Salem Common around 9 miles. It was apparent his diet in observation of Passover was hindering his ability to run to a maximum level, but nevertheless he hung tough. We took him on a loop from the Common through a familiar loop around the Salem Willows and Winter Island. The pace stayed pretty consistent around 5:00/km and we finished up his final 8-9 km right on his goal effort.
Showing posts with label craft/karhu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label craft/karhu. Show all posts
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Beverly Lunch Loop
Time: 48:34
Distance: 10.01 km
Pace: 4:51/km
Map
A group of me, Meagan, the Karhu CEO and Craft GM headed out for a lunch loop around Beverly. The pace was very much in control for the first 8km and then picked up ever so slightly once we dropped them off back at the office. Meagan and I added on to boost the weekly totals a bit. I think we were both happy to be finished with our weekly runs by 1 PM and would have the rest of the afternoon to relax. We could even partake in the Friday afternoon beer/wine office session that may or may not occur at the Karhu North America offices.
Distance: 10.01 km
Pace: 4:51/km
Map
A group of me, Meagan, the Karhu CEO and Craft GM headed out for a lunch loop around Beverly. The pace was very much in control for the first 8km and then picked up ever so slightly once we dropped them off back at the office. Meagan and I added on to boost the weekly totals a bit. I think we were both happy to be finished with our weekly runs by 1 PM and would have the rest of the afternoon to relax. We could even partake in the Friday afternoon beer/wine office session that may or may not occur at the Karhu North America offices.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Evening Beverly Double
Time: 41:44
Distance: 10.02 km
Pace: 4:10/km
Map
I headed out from the office after work looking to put in a nice double run around Beverly. I was feeling pretty good early on, but never forced the pace down. The weather is finally starting to look a little like spring. There is still a definite chill in the air, but when the sun is out it feels almost like t-shirt and shorts weather.
Distance: 10.02 km
Pace: 4:10/km
Map
I headed out from the office after work looking to put in a nice double run around Beverly. I was feeling pretty good early on, but never forced the pace down. The weather is finally starting to look a little like spring. There is still a definite chill in the air, but when the sun is out it feels almost like t-shirt and shorts weather.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Lunch Time Run in Beverly
Time: 44:17
Distance: 10.05 km
Pace: 4:24/km
Map
It was cold when Meagan and I got up this morning which was a little unexpected. We opted to not start off the week with a sub-20 degree run and drank a fair amount of coffee instead. Around lunch time we headed out the door and fit in a familiar loop in Beverly. It wasn't a whole lot warmer, but better than what it could have been.
Distance: 10.05 km
Pace: 4:24/km
Map
It was cold when Meagan and I got up this morning which was a little unexpected. We opted to not start off the week with a sub-20 degree run and drank a fair amount of coffee instead. Around lunch time we headed out the door and fit in a familiar loop in Beverly. It wasn't a whole lot warmer, but better than what it could have been.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Eric Schenker's Long Run
Time: 114:44
Distance: 23.01 km
Pace: 4:59/km
Map
Meagan and I drove to the Craft and Karhu GM's house this morning for a long run around the back roads of Hamilton, MA. I haven't spend much time up in Hamilton except for a few runs in the woods and the brutal outing that was Gabe's Run. Eric had mapped out a route that would have us linking up with a couple buddies. I think we all had a fun time running on the rolling terrain with little traffic.
We were approaching the finishing mark and I noticed that our pace was hovering around 8:00/mile or so. Eric's silently stated goal for the Vermont City Marathon is to run 3:30 which is roughly 8:15 pace. I think Meagan and I have created a runner.
Distance: 23.01 km
Pace: 4:59/km
Map
Meagan and I drove to the Craft and Karhu GM's house this morning for a long run around the back roads of Hamilton, MA. I haven't spend much time up in Hamilton except for a few runs in the woods and the brutal outing that was Gabe's Run. Eric had mapped out a route that would have us linking up with a couple buddies. I think we all had a fun time running on the rolling terrain with little traffic.
We were approaching the finishing mark and I noticed that our pace was hovering around 8:00/mile or so. Eric's silently stated goal for the Vermont City Marathon is to run 3:30 which is roughly 8:15 pace. I think Meagan and I have created a runner.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Sneaky Little Lunch Run
Time: 26:04
Distance: 5.54 km
Pace: 4:42/km
Map
Meagan and I ran from the office today at lunch for just over 5 km. We didn't run this morning for some reason and will be on the track tonight for a light evening workout.
Map
Meagan and I ran from the office today at lunch for just over 5 km. We didn't run this morning for some reason and will be on the track tonight for a light evening workout.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Karhu & Craft Lunch Crew
Time: 40:23
Distance: ~8.50 km
I ran today with the office crew consisting of Meagan, Eric and Frisbee. We held a steady pace running around Beverly and I even opted to take a crack at the Dane Beach Challenge. It's a new mid-run challenge I've created with the speed trap along Dane Beach. The digital reader picks up any movement including walkers and runners. My record is 18 MPH, but my goal is to soon hit 20 MPH. Hopefully with some warmer weather and additional speed workouts I'll be able to hit the mark soon.
Distance: ~8.50 km
I ran today with the office crew consisting of Meagan, Eric and Frisbee. We held a steady pace running around Beverly and I even opted to take a crack at the Dane Beach Challenge. It's a new mid-run challenge I've created with the speed trap along Dane Beach. The digital reader picks up any movement including walkers and runners. My record is 18 MPH, but my goal is to soon hit 20 MPH. Hopefully with some warmer weather and additional speed workouts I'll be able to hit the mark soon.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Work Group Run
Time: 42:49
Distance: 8.60 km
Pace: 4:59/km
Map
A small group from the office headed out a jog around Beverly. I think we were all grateful to be running outside after being cooped up indoors for the past few days. I ended up doing one hard stride trying to crack the 20 mph barrier along Dane Beach. I was obstructed by a couple cars and the reading wasn't accurate. Next time!
Distance: 8.60 km
Pace: 4:59/km
Map
A small group from the office headed out a jog around Beverly. I think we were all grateful to be running outside after being cooped up indoors for the past few days. I ended up doing one hard stride trying to crack the 20 mph barrier along Dane Beach. I was obstructed by a couple cars and the reading wasn't accurate. Next time!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Treadmill Run
Time: 79:10
Distance: ~20.8 kilometers
This year Craft and Karhu is sponsoring the YMCA North Shore Race Series which doesn't kick off until April, but we were able to take advantage of some our contacts. Meagan scored a week long pass to any of the six YMCA's near us. Fortunately, the closest location is across the street from our building.
We walked the 50 meters in the snow to the front door of the Y which was far enough for me to know that a run outside would mean: cold feet, narrow shoulders, impassable sidewalks and an achilles injury three weeks from now. It was going to be a treadmill run for me, but would I make it 80 minutes or just 8? I usually despise spinning my wheels, but for whatever reason, today was different.
I put the incline at 2.0 and started on my way to nowhere. I ran easy for 30 minutes while watching ESPN -- a luxury since we only get four channels at home. I learned that Michael Jordan is turning 50 and all week ESPN will be running specials on his legacy. It sounds like if there is a week to run inside, this might be it!
After 30 minutes I upped the tempo to 10 MPH (6:00/mi pace) and proceeded to listen to Sigur Ros while drenching the treadmill's display. I held pace for the next 30 minutes feeling like I was running relaxed but making the most of the indoor run. As most treadmills do, the machine started cooling down at the hour mark. I ran easy for 3 minutes to get a slight recovery, reset the timer and then started a brief fartlek of roughly: 2 mins on (1 off), 1:30 on (1 off) with pace ranging from 5:27 to 5:13 on the hard and 6:40 to 6:00 on the easy. I was making it up as I went along for the next 13-14 minutes.
I ended feeling pretty beat at the end of the nearly 80 minutes session and exceeded my goal of 12 miles. I hope to get outside and run on the roads soon, but it's good to know that making a workout of running on the treadmill at least makes it somewhat bearable for me.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Office Run
Time: ~38 mins
Distance: ~8 km
Meagan and I ran this afternoon from the office in Beverly. I forgot my Garmin at home and was running blind (naked). The pace was really slow and easy. I am definitely coming down with something that could make this week very lackluster with my trip to Philly and the impending storm.
Distance: ~8 km
Meagan and I ran this afternoon from the office in Beverly. I forgot my Garmin at home and was running blind (naked). The pace was really slow and easy. I am definitely coming down with something that could make this week very lackluster with my trip to Philly and the impending storm.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Boston Prep 16 Miler
Time: ~111:15
Distance: ~30 km
W/u: roughly 20 minutes and 4 km
Race: 16 miles of cold, windy and hilly terrain in 1:31:15 for 2nd Overall
This morning I was dragged up to Derry, NH for the Boston Prep 16 Miler by the Craft and Karhu GM who grew up in the town. I shouldn't say that I was "dragged" because I was perfectly willing to partake in what is billed as a "moderately challenging" course. Our GM rowed in college and has completed several races and triathlons, but I wouldn't bill him as your typical runner. Sure, he runs but doesn't get the same thrill that most readers of this blog get when they lace up the shoes. So, I could only try to join in his enthusiasm when weeks ago he started to suggest that we go and run this race. If he was going to suffer through 16 miles of hills, I could too.
We arrived in Derry and the GM immediately started telling me about the town. I learned that the Burger King used to be the biggest in the country only to have that title taken away from presumably some newer location in Texas. The Hood Dairy company also had many of its farms in town and Robert Frost was fired from Derry High School. The rumor is that Frost would walk from his house through the woods to get to school. Perhaps there might have been something other than tobacco in his cigarettes and he would get lost in his thoughts during his walk and never show up to teach. At least that's what I was told.
I could tell the GM was excited and nervous about being back home. The course would run just blocks from the house he grew up in. We even parked at the elementary school where he matriculated. I was only trying to gain an ounce of his energy because I was focused on the fact that it roughly 15 degrees with a 15 MPH breeze.
Of all the days to forget Mr. Garmin, today would be it. I warmed up with my phone out and back on the course for a little over 20 minutes. I was able to get a little loose out on the course and decided that my racing costume would indeed include a jacket. I changed shoes, lost a midlayer fleece and geared up for a good hard effort.
Toeing the line I wasn't sure who would be in contention for the win. I wasn't even sure if I had a shot at breaking tape but just decided to go out at a steady, hard pace and find out where my fitness is at. Off the line, I was joined by a runner who I now know is Scott McGrath and later learned he won the race in 2012. We ran together for about 1.5 miles before I was able to gain a slight advantage on one of the uphills.
It wasn't until the 5 mile mark until I learned the pace I was running. I crossed the mat in 27:39 and calculated that it was just over 5:30/mile pace. I felt decent but was becoming aware that I hadn't completely shaken Scott. I could still hear footsteps and took a peek back on a couple 90 degree turns. Somewhere around the 7 or 8 mile mark I realized that I was in trouble. Aerobically I was completely fine to hold the pace, but my legs were completely lacking any power to climb the hills. I knew at this point if the second half was hillier than the first, then I would be doomed.
I was.
There was a sharp left hand turn and steep hill around the 9 mile mark where I must have given up 40 meters. Scott quickly closed the gap and took the lead with the 10 mile mat just in sight. I crossed in 55:46 just two seconds back and that gap would only grow until the 13.1 mile mat. The wind in the face, uphill sections completely rocked my world. I reached back and grabbed the back of my mullet a couple of times to remove the sweat icicles that had formed. I was not in a happy place.
I gave up 33 seconds from 10 miles to 13.1 miles, but then regained my composure as the course somewhat flattened out the final section. The darkest stretch of the race was perhaps around mile 14 when we were greeted with a brisk headwind that caused my face to cease functioning. I couldn't move my mouth and became a little fuzzy at times. I don't think it was from the effort because I still felt comfortable aerobically, but just wasn't handling the conditions well.
I limped home 37 seconds back from Scott and immediately headed for the gym to get warm. I snapped this photo of myself less than 2 minutes after finishing and posted it to Facebook. The pic pretty much sums up my race.
Here is Scott's recap of the race. Great race by him on a tough day.
Distance: ~30 km
W/u: roughly 20 minutes and 4 km
Race: 16 miles of cold, windy and hilly terrain in 1:31:15 for 2nd Overall
This morning I was dragged up to Derry, NH for the Boston Prep 16 Miler by the Craft and Karhu GM who grew up in the town. I shouldn't say that I was "dragged" because I was perfectly willing to partake in what is billed as a "moderately challenging" course. Our GM rowed in college and has completed several races and triathlons, but I wouldn't bill him as your typical runner. Sure, he runs but doesn't get the same thrill that most readers of this blog get when they lace up the shoes. So, I could only try to join in his enthusiasm when weeks ago he started to suggest that we go and run this race. If he was going to suffer through 16 miles of hills, I could too.
We arrived in Derry and the GM immediately started telling me about the town. I learned that the Burger King used to be the biggest in the country only to have that title taken away from presumably some newer location in Texas. The Hood Dairy company also had many of its farms in town and Robert Frost was fired from Derry High School. The rumor is that Frost would walk from his house through the woods to get to school. Perhaps there might have been something other than tobacco in his cigarettes and he would get lost in his thoughts during his walk and never show up to teach. At least that's what I was told.
I could tell the GM was excited and nervous about being back home. The course would run just blocks from the house he grew up in. We even parked at the elementary school where he matriculated. I was only trying to gain an ounce of his energy because I was focused on the fact that it roughly 15 degrees with a 15 MPH breeze.
Of all the days to forget Mr. Garmin, today would be it. I warmed up with my phone out and back on the course for a little over 20 minutes. I was able to get a little loose out on the course and decided that my racing costume would indeed include a jacket. I changed shoes, lost a midlayer fleece and geared up for a good hard effort.
Toeing the line I wasn't sure who would be in contention for the win. I wasn't even sure if I had a shot at breaking tape but just decided to go out at a steady, hard pace and find out where my fitness is at. Off the line, I was joined by a runner who I now know is Scott McGrath and later learned he won the race in 2012. We ran together for about 1.5 miles before I was able to gain a slight advantage on one of the uphills.
It wasn't until the 5 mile mark until I learned the pace I was running. I crossed the mat in 27:39 and calculated that it was just over 5:30/mile pace. I felt decent but was becoming aware that I hadn't completely shaken Scott. I could still hear footsteps and took a peek back on a couple 90 degree turns. Somewhere around the 7 or 8 mile mark I realized that I was in trouble. Aerobically I was completely fine to hold the pace, but my legs were completely lacking any power to climb the hills. I knew at this point if the second half was hillier than the first, then I would be doomed.
I was.
There was a sharp left hand turn and steep hill around the 9 mile mark where I must have given up 40 meters. Scott quickly closed the gap and took the lead with the 10 mile mat just in sight. I crossed in 55:46 just two seconds back and that gap would only grow until the 13.1 mile mat. The wind in the face, uphill sections completely rocked my world. I reached back and grabbed the back of my mullet a couple of times to remove the sweat icicles that had formed. I was not in a happy place.
I gave up 33 seconds from 10 miles to 13.1 miles, but then regained my composure as the course somewhat flattened out the final section. The darkest stretch of the race was perhaps around mile 14 when we were greeted with a brisk headwind that caused my face to cease functioning. I couldn't move my mouth and became a little fuzzy at times. I don't think it was from the effort because I still felt comfortable aerobically, but just wasn't handling the conditions well.
I limped home 37 seconds back from Scott and immediately headed for the gym to get warm. I snapped this photo of myself less than 2 minutes after finishing and posted it to Facebook. The pic pretty much sums up my race.
Here is Scott's recap of the race. Great race by him on a tough day.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Snowy Run in Beverly
Time: 54:39
Distance: 13.03 km
Pace: 4:12/km
Map
I dropped Meagan off at the airport early this morning as she's headed out to Salt Lake City for Outdoor Retailer. I drove back to our offices in Beverly and ran an easy 13 km around the snowy streets with a pair of trail shoes. I remember feeling really cold at points of the run, but ended up getting into a rhythm despite my face having a difficult time adjusting.
Distance: 13.03 km
Pace: 4:12/km
Map
I dropped Meagan off at the airport early this morning as she's headed out to Salt Lake City for Outdoor Retailer. I drove back to our offices in Beverly and ran an easy 13 km around the snowy streets with a pair of trail shoes. I remember feeling really cold at points of the run, but ended up getting into a rhythm despite my face having a difficult time adjusting.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Morning Monday Run
Time: 46:37
Distance: 10.01 km
Pace: 4:39/km
Map
It was just an easy run to start the week. My legs need to recover after the harder effort on Saturday and the run on Sunday. Despite wanting to run faster on my easy days, some like today just need to be kept truly gentle. The cold of winter from a couple of weeks ago seems to be gone as the temps this morning were in the 50s. Bad for selling Craft baselayers, but good for running.
Distance: 10.01 km
Pace: 4:39/km
Map
It was just an easy run to start the week. My legs need to recover after the harder effort on Saturday and the run on Sunday. Despite wanting to run faster on my easy days, some like today just need to be kept truly gentle. The cold of winter from a couple of weeks ago seems to be gone as the temps this morning were in the 50s. Bad for selling Craft baselayers, but good for running.
Friday, January 11, 2013
18 MPH & Syrup
Time: 38:25
Distance: 8.38 km
Pace: 4:35/km
Map
A crew of Karhu North America employees headed out the door for a run at lunch. It was Meagan, Chris who works in customer service and Scott who handles our shipping/warehouse logistics and me. We ran a standard 6-8 km loop that runs around town and just briefly along Dane Beach. To keep the summer traffic in check, there is a speed monitor placed on one of the light poles.
On runs I have noticed it picks up my 8-9 MPH average pace when I'm on the far side of the street. I bet the group as we approached if I could hit 15 MPH. I don't think anyone in the group thought it were possible except me. Rule number one is don't make a bet you can't win. I was confident at being able to flash 15+ MPH on the sign. Plus there is a slight downhill which almost makes it an unfair challenge to make.
To the group's surprised, the sign flashed "18."
If that weren't a big enough victory on the day, a couple of minutes later I spotted a fresh bottle of Stop&Shop syrup on the ground. A full unopened bottle of genuine high fructose corn syrup syrup! My day couldn't get any better. A big batch of flapjacks is certainly in order this weekend.
I ran a few strides after the run to celebrate my speed and syrup.
Distance: 8.38 km
Pace: 4:35/km
Map
A crew of Karhu North America employees headed out the door for a run at lunch. It was Meagan, Chris who works in customer service and Scott who handles our shipping/warehouse logistics and me. We ran a standard 6-8 km loop that runs around town and just briefly along Dane Beach. To keep the summer traffic in check, there is a speed monitor placed on one of the light poles.
On runs I have noticed it picks up my 8-9 MPH average pace when I'm on the far side of the street. I bet the group as we approached if I could hit 15 MPH. I don't think anyone in the group thought it were possible except me. Rule number one is don't make a bet you can't win. I was confident at being able to flash 15+ MPH on the sign. Plus there is a slight downhill which almost makes it an unfair challenge to make.
To the group's surprised, the sign flashed "18."
If that weren't a big enough victory on the day, a couple of minutes later I spotted a fresh bottle of Stop&Shop syrup on the ground. A full unopened bottle of genuine high fructose corn syrup syrup! My day couldn't get any better. A big batch of flapjacks is certainly in order this weekend.
I ran a few strides after the run to celebrate my speed and syrup.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Hamilton Woods
Time: 75:14
Distance: 14.17 km
Pace: 5:21/km
Map
I drove up to Hamilton this morning to meet up with the Karhu and Craft GM and his buddy. They have been meeting most Saturday's for runs in the Hamilton Woods and trails. It was my intention to arrive about 30-45 minutes early so that I could get in some distance on the roads beforehand, but I actually was able to sleep until 7:00 this morning. I only had about 15 minutes to log 3-4km before linking up with the guys.
We headed off across the park where Gabe's Run is held and ventured into the trails. It was a little difficult to maintain footing on the icy and snowy trails, but I managed to stay bipedal. The pace was gentle but it didn't seem too slow given the terrain. The conversation was good and covered an array of topics including shows like Portlandia and Homeland, the running biz, local restaurants and skiing. It would be useful coming back more times and learning the trails better for this spring and summer.
Distance: 14.17 km
Pace: 5:21/km
Map
I drove up to Hamilton this morning to meet up with the Karhu and Craft GM and his buddy. They have been meeting most Saturday's for runs in the Hamilton Woods and trails. It was my intention to arrive about 30-45 minutes early so that I could get in some distance on the roads beforehand, but I actually was able to sleep until 7:00 this morning. I only had about 15 minutes to log 3-4km before linking up with the guys.
We headed off across the park where Gabe's Run is held and ventured into the trails. It was a little difficult to maintain footing on the icy and snowy trails, but I managed to stay bipedal. The pace was gentle but it didn't seem too slow given the terrain. The conversation was good and covered an array of topics including shows like Portlandia and Homeland, the running biz, local restaurants and skiing. It would be useful coming back more times and learning the trails better for this spring and summer.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Even Worse!
Time: 44:46
Distance: 10.39 km
Pace: 4:19/km
Map
The cold got even worse. Today's run was a balmy 6 degrees. It wasn't nearly the coldest in the region so I shouldn't be bragging about how hardcore I am for lacing up the shoes. But, still! My face was frozen at one point about 35 minutes into the run after running into a headwind. It wasn't fun running, but I can say that I was out there.
I heard on the news that the temperature in Worcester was worst-er than Salem. It was reportedly a -17 when factoring in the windchill. No thanks! It's a good thing that I have a minimum amount of Finnish sisu and a maximum amount of Craft baselayers to wear. Yesterday's run of 16 degrees was balmy as compared to today's run. I certainly don't hope this is routine as typically some sort of tendinitis forms in my legs when running in such cold. However, it does feel a bit rugged when you get to boast about running in such frigid temps.
I should note that Mr. Garmin has been acting like a turd and hasn't been registering the first kilometer accurately. I have reported the figures according to the watch, but the opening mark was recorded at a clearly inaccurate 3:50/km. The run was probably off by 200 meters or so.
Distance: 10.39 km
Pace: 4:19/km
Map
The cold got even worse. Today's run was a balmy 6 degrees. It wasn't nearly the coldest in the region so I shouldn't be bragging about how hardcore I am for lacing up the shoes. But, still! My face was frozen at one point about 35 minutes into the run after running into a headwind. It wasn't fun running, but I can say that I was out there.
I heard on the news that the temperature in Worcester was worst-er than Salem. It was reportedly a -17 when factoring in the windchill. No thanks! It's a good thing that I have a minimum amount of Finnish sisu and a maximum amount of Craft baselayers to wear. Yesterday's run of 16 degrees was balmy as compared to today's run. I certainly don't hope this is routine as typically some sort of tendinitis forms in my legs when running in such cold. However, it does feel a bit rugged when you get to boast about running in such frigid temps.
I should note that Mr. Garmin has been acting like a turd and hasn't been registering the first kilometer accurately. I have reported the figures according to the watch, but the opening mark was recorded at a clearly inaccurate 3:50/km. The run was probably off by 200 meters or so.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Trivia in Rhode Island
Time: none
Distance: none
Today was day off. Lame.
I drove down to Providence, RI to spend some time at a Winter Rep Show. The foot traffic wasn't fantastic but I got to hang out with the Moving Comfort and Craft reps. They know the business and all of the accounts in my territory so it was fun to pick their brain. They also have house bunnies. Yes, rabbits that are basically cats, but related to Roger Rabbit. Earlier in the day one nearly got locked in the closet which wouldn't have ended well for anyone. True story.
After the expo, I met up with my former teammate Ryan Graddy. He's in med school at Brown and invited me to play trivia with some of his classmates. I was next to useless but I did know the final questions which ensured us a third place showing. The answer had to do with 80s music, Billboard Top 100 and pop music... not my strongest category. I would have excelled at rap music by Bay Area rappers in the 90s who were signed to either Death Row or Bad Boy. However, I somehow came up with the answer of Prince. Yes, the artist formerly known as Prince. I knew it.
Distance: none
Today was day off. Lame.
I drove down to Providence, RI to spend some time at a Winter Rep Show. The foot traffic wasn't fantastic but I got to hang out with the Moving Comfort and Craft reps. They know the business and all of the accounts in my territory so it was fun to pick their brain. They also have house bunnies. Yes, rabbits that are basically cats, but related to Roger Rabbit. Earlier in the day one nearly got locked in the closet which wouldn't have ended well for anyone. True story.
After the expo, I met up with my former teammate Ryan Graddy. He's in med school at Brown and invited me to play trivia with some of his classmates. I was next to useless but I did know the final questions which ensured us a third place showing. The answer had to do with 80s music, Billboard Top 100 and pop music... not my strongest category. I would have excelled at rap music by Bay Area rappers in the 90s who were signed to either Death Row or Bad Boy. However, I somehow came up with the answer of Prince. Yes, the artist formerly known as Prince. I knew it.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Running with the Trials Competitors
Run I
Time: 47:57
Distance: 10.67 km
Pace: 4:30/km
Map
Run II
Time: 29:46
Distance: 6.61km
Pace: 4:30/km
Map
Meagan and I jogged over to the Hilton to meet up with Caitlin, and Allison Mascas and Scott MacPherson of Team Rogue Elite. The group of us jogged out to the Allen Parkway where there are no lights to cross. Lots of participants were out getting in their last runs before toeing the line tomorrow. Deena Kastor even said "good morning" as we crossed a street close to the hotel.
The hotel lobby is buzzing with activity and everyone looks fit. Both the men and women competing look smaller in person than in video interviews or pictures. Most of the participants I know are just happy to be in attendance and don't have any aspirations to actually be in the top 3. However, all wish to have a great race and take as many scalps as possible. On my second run with Jesse Armijo and Joe Moore, they both talked about picking up the carnage late in the race if they just ran a consistent pace of 5:15 to 5:20. I'm rooting for the little guys, the guys who are just happy to be in the race, the ones who hit late qualifying times at CIM or small marathons on the Gulf. They have no shot at being top 10 and little shot at being top 25, but it will be fun to watch guys like Joe and Jesse.
The rest of the day was spent hanging around the hotel and making sure Meagan had everything she needed. One interesting story that is relevant to the USATF uniform rules involves Craft. Meagan took her jersey to the uniform check-in and had no issues. On the other hand, Joe took his uniform to the check-in and came down to lunch with duct tape over the "Craft" portion of the logo but not the six dots.
After our meal, I went up to the uniform committee and simply explained that I had two athletes competing, both with the same logo and one has duct tape on, the other doesn't. I showed them my jacket and continued asking questions in the politest way possible. Craft didn't appear on the list of pre-approved brands, but I eventually got to speak with someone who knew the rules. Turns out, they didn't know Craft was the actual apparel manufacturer and not some other sponsor which means the logo is permitted to be visible. I immediately told Joe to peel off the tape and that he would be good to rock the Elite Jersey. Problem averted!
I avoided the technical meeting and instead chatted with Pat Price of Writing About Running concerning some Karhu articles we would like him to explore. I met up with Meagan's parents and chilled in their hotel room before dinner. I ate dinner and enjoyed the very same meal I had for lunch (the steak was much better this time). I chatted with many friends running the race and wished them all best of luck. Tomorrow is going to be bad ass!
For updates on Meagan's progress during the race... follow me on twitter (@jokin359).
Time: 47:57
Distance: 10.67 km
Pace: 4:30/km
Map
Run II
Time: 29:46
Distance: 6.61km
Pace: 4:30/km
Map
Meagan and I jogged over to the Hilton to meet up with Caitlin, and Allison Mascas and Scott MacPherson of Team Rogue Elite. The group of us jogged out to the Allen Parkway where there are no lights to cross. Lots of participants were out getting in their last runs before toeing the line tomorrow. Deena Kastor even said "good morning" as we crossed a street close to the hotel.
The hotel lobby is buzzing with activity and everyone looks fit. Both the men and women competing look smaller in person than in video interviews or pictures. Most of the participants I know are just happy to be in attendance and don't have any aspirations to actually be in the top 3. However, all wish to have a great race and take as many scalps as possible. On my second run with Jesse Armijo and Joe Moore, they both talked about picking up the carnage late in the race if they just ran a consistent pace of 5:15 to 5:20. I'm rooting for the little guys, the guys who are just happy to be in the race, the ones who hit late qualifying times at CIM or small marathons on the Gulf. They have no shot at being top 10 and little shot at being top 25, but it will be fun to watch guys like Joe and Jesse.
The rest of the day was spent hanging around the hotel and making sure Meagan had everything she needed. One interesting story that is relevant to the USATF uniform rules involves Craft. Meagan took her jersey to the uniform check-in and had no issues. On the other hand, Joe took his uniform to the check-in and came down to lunch with duct tape over the "Craft" portion of the logo but not the six dots.
After our meal, I went up to the uniform committee and simply explained that I had two athletes competing, both with the same logo and one has duct tape on, the other doesn't. I showed them my jacket and continued asking questions in the politest way possible. Craft didn't appear on the list of pre-approved brands, but I eventually got to speak with someone who knew the rules. Turns out, they didn't know Craft was the actual apparel manufacturer and not some other sponsor which means the logo is permitted to be visible. I immediately told Joe to peel off the tape and that he would be good to rock the Elite Jersey. Problem averted!
I avoided the technical meeting and instead chatted with Pat Price of Writing About Running concerning some Karhu articles we would like him to explore. I met up with Meagan's parents and chilled in their hotel room before dinner. I ate dinner and enjoyed the very same meal I had for lunch (the steak was much better this time). I chatted with many friends running the race and wished them all best of luck. Tomorrow is going to be bad ass!
For updates on Meagan's progress during the race... follow me on twitter (@jokin359).
Thursday, December 29, 2011
MRN's Last Big Trials Workout
Time: 98:31
Distance: 23.65 km
W/u: 16:09 for 3.40 km
W/o: 3 x 1 km @ 3:45/km (1 min rest), 10 km tempo @ 3:50/km (3 min rest), 3 x 1 km @ 3:40/km (90 sec rest)
C/d: 11:48 for 2.46 km
On the drive from San Francisco to the SFO airport I got a call from United saying our flight had been canceled. With no other flights arriving in or near Palm Springs before midnight, we opted to travel to San Jose to stay with my aunt Emily. In the morning we would use the bike path that runs between San Jose and Los Gatos as the site of Meagan's last big workout before traveling to Houston.
On tap was a workout consisting of 3 opening kilometers at marathon pace to get the body into a rhythm. Next would be a 10 km tempo just above marathon pace to to add some distance and get used to running fast without exerting or pushing too hard. We would end with 3 kilometer repeats at just below marathon pace to practice running somewhat fast while being somewhat tired.
Here's how it went...
Splits:
3 x 1 km - 3:43.63 (62), 3:41.02 (61), 3:50.81 (2:01);
10 km tempo - 3:51.2, 3:54.1, 3:52.5, 3:48.4, 3:51.5, 3:49.7, 3:46.7, 3:48.1, 3:47.1, 3:46.0 (3:02);
3 x 1 km - 3:36.47 (91), 3:41.18 (91), 3:36.05
Total - 70:34 for 17.79 km and 3:58/km average
...pretty well. Like really well. The splits aren't overly impressive from a speed standpoint, but the comfort level at which Meagan hit those times was amazing. She was sharp right off the line on the opening 3 kilometers, the third of which included a slight detour due to a missed bridge crossing. No real worry on it showing up a little slow. The 10k tempo is what impressed me the most as at multiple times she verbally announced that, "I'm bored." I think the total time of the 10 km was around 38:15 which would have been her PR in 2008. The final 3 kilometers really showed her fitness as the pace was quicker than prescribed and yet she didn't sound any more exhausted. She was recovering within 30 seconds and hitting mid-3:30s with ease.
For the last real workout before the Trials, I think she's more than ready to have a great race.
Distance: 23.65 km
W/u: 16:09 for 3.40 km
W/o: 3 x 1 km @ 3:45/km (1 min rest), 10 km tempo @ 3:50/km (3 min rest), 3 x 1 km @ 3:40/km (90 sec rest)
C/d: 11:48 for 2.46 km
On the drive from San Francisco to the SFO airport I got a call from United saying our flight had been canceled. With no other flights arriving in or near Palm Springs before midnight, we opted to travel to San Jose to stay with my aunt Emily. In the morning we would use the bike path that runs between San Jose and Los Gatos as the site of Meagan's last big workout before traveling to Houston.
On tap was a workout consisting of 3 opening kilometers at marathon pace to get the body into a rhythm. Next would be a 10 km tempo just above marathon pace to to add some distance and get used to running fast without exerting or pushing too hard. We would end with 3 kilometer repeats at just below marathon pace to practice running somewhat fast while being somewhat tired.
Here's how it went...
Splits:
3 x 1 km - 3:43.63 (62), 3:41.02 (61), 3:50.81 (2:01);
10 km tempo - 3:51.2, 3:54.1, 3:52.5, 3:48.4, 3:51.5, 3:49.7, 3:46.7, 3:48.1, 3:47.1, 3:46.0 (3:02);
3 x 1 km - 3:36.47 (91), 3:41.18 (91), 3:36.05
Total - 70:34 for 17.79 km and 3:58/km average
...pretty well. Like really well. The splits aren't overly impressive from a speed standpoint, but the comfort level at which Meagan hit those times was amazing. She was sharp right off the line on the opening 3 kilometers, the third of which included a slight detour due to a missed bridge crossing. No real worry on it showing up a little slow. The 10k tempo is what impressed me the most as at multiple times she verbally announced that, "I'm bored." I think the total time of the 10 km was around 38:15 which would have been her PR in 2008. The final 3 kilometers really showed her fitness as the pace was quicker than prescribed and yet she didn't sound any more exhausted. She was recovering within 30 seconds and hitting mid-3:30s with ease.
For the last real workout before the Trials, I think she's more than ready to have a great race.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Running with the Boys from Rhode Runner
Time: 82:27
Distance: 19.25k
Pace: 4:17/k
Map
This morning I met up with Alan and Pat who both work at Rhode Runner. I met Alan at the store the first time I visited upon taking my new job. We raced against one another at the Newburyport Half Marathon later that weekend. I knew Pat a bit from racing in college. He went to Providence College and we would occasionally compete against one another in cross country. Pat would be up with the leaders while I would be struggling in the middle of the pack.
We all joined up down at the Brown Stadium and began running through the neighborhoods. I let Alan give me a tour of the streets I used to run frequently and the only major change is down by India Point. It was good to be out the door with two other guys of comparable abilities chatting about local races, Craft and Karhu, club teams and friends we know through the sport.
I never felt fantastic at any point as my quads have been tired for about a week. I held my own despite wanting to fall back on a couple of the long climbs back up to College Hill. The rain held off making for an ideal training day in the middle of December. It will be good to come back and run with the guys soon. It should also be noted that I think Alan is turning over to the dark side of running in kilometers. At least I hope so. One down, 300 million+ to go.
Distance: 19.25k
Pace: 4:17/k
Map
This morning I met up with Alan and Pat who both work at Rhode Runner. I met Alan at the store the first time I visited upon taking my new job. We raced against one another at the Newburyport Half Marathon later that weekend. I knew Pat a bit from racing in college. He went to Providence College and we would occasionally compete against one another in cross country. Pat would be up with the leaders while I would be struggling in the middle of the pack.
We all joined up down at the Brown Stadium and began running through the neighborhoods. I let Alan give me a tour of the streets I used to run frequently and the only major change is down by India Point. It was good to be out the door with two other guys of comparable abilities chatting about local races, Craft and Karhu, club teams and friends we know through the sport.
I never felt fantastic at any point as my quads have been tired for about a week. I held my own despite wanting to fall back on a couple of the long climbs back up to College Hill. The rain held off making for an ideal training day in the middle of December. It will be good to come back and run with the guys soon. It should also be noted that I think Alan is turning over to the dark side of running in kilometers. At least I hope so. One down, 300 million+ to go.
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