May 30, 2016: Memorial Day 10K

2014 time, 57:23
2015 time, 54:02
10K PR, 51:40 (April 2016)

For the third year in a row, Bonnie and I ran the Memorial Day races in Marietta, a suburb on the northeast side of Atlanta.  This always seems to be a tough race, with substantial hills in the middle miles of the race.  This year, it also seemed to be a little warmer than in past years, plus I think that I'm about 5 pounds heavier at this moment.  We had the pleasure of watching a Braves game in a luxury suite last night, but my pre-race fueling "strategy" ended up being two hot dogs, two servings of potato salad, a pizza slice, two huge cookies and one gigantic brownie.  

Having carbo-loaded to excess, I then tried the formula that had worked for me in my PR race in April: taking walk breaks only at water stations (about every 2 miles), and aiming for splits of 8 minute miles.   I managed the first two miles in 7:50 and 8:10, but slowed down going up the first big hill at the beginning of mile 3, and never quite recovered again, running the miles 3, 4, and 5 in 9:22, 9:23, and 9:23.  Nevertheless I had covered the first 5K in 26:22, and was satisfied with that mark, on pace for a 53 minute 10K run.  I made it to the 5-mile mark in 44:08, just nine seconds slower than last year's time on this course.  Unfortunately today I didn't quite have much "kick" at the end, managing only 8:53 in mile 6, crossing the finish line at 54:45.  

My feelings were a bit mixed at the end, having avoided the "shame" of a 55-minute finish, but "disappointed" that I didn't improve on last year's time.  In all candor, those words have gone through my mind today, but really I should remind myself how happy I was to run faster than an hour in my first 10K in December 2013, and how thrilled I was when I first broke the 55 minute mark in October 2014.  

Lessons learned from today:

1) It's not easy to haul 5 extra pounds up and down hills.  I know how to improve that one, I just need the self-discipline to get back on track with what I'm eating. 

2) Accept that I'm going to run a bit slower when it's warm outside.  Today it was 68 deg F at the start and 79 deg F when I finished. 

3) Realize that I'm not ready to run 8:00 minute miles for a 10K race.  I went out too fast today, but I'm happy to have tried the experiment.  One day I will manage it, but it will take more training.   

4) Remember that three years ago, I was just beginning to run.  Four years ago, walking three miles or 5K was exhausting.  I doubt that I could covered twice that distance at any pace back then, at least not without a rest break in the middle.  

May 24, 2016: 800 m race at the Atlanta Track Club All-Comers Track and Field Meet

Panorama shot of the field around 8:30 pm

Summary of results: 

1) 800 m (Grand Prix race) in 3:13.76, 12th out of 15 in my heat, 12th out of 14 in my age group.  Two weeks ago I ran this distance in 3:25; a year ago I ran in 3:10. 

2) About 45 minutes before my heat ran the 800 m, I ran the 200 m to finish my warmup.  I was last in my heat (!) but my time of 39.84 sec was better than two weeks ago, when I needed 41.26 sec. 

It's clear that I'm not a sprinter!  However I think that part of my problem is that I don't know how to start quickly.  I'm behind the rest of my heat just 10 steps into the race. 

3) I finished off the evening running the mile, in 7:33.  I ran the first lap in about 1:45 (409 meters) and the remaining 400 meter laps felt like they were consistently faster than 2:00, so I didn't slow down too badly.  I think that I was a bit tired, so I'm not too worried that my time was considerably slower than in the Morningside Mile last month. 

A few photos:

runningnerds group photo

Temilola "Tes" Sobomehin, founder of the runningnerds (left in this photo),
passing another woman in her heat to win 2nd in her age group! 

runningnerd Carol Gsell finishing strongly!

Tucker Running Club speedster Robin Mitchell finished 3rd in her age group! 

The blur is runningnerd Burt Lieb finishing the 800 m in 2:57.
By the time of the men's heats, it was getting dark - but also pleasantly cooler! 

Atlanta Track Club elite runner Brandon Lasater finishing the mile in 3:59:81!
I think that's the first time that I've ever watched someone run a sub-4-minute mile! 

UPDATE, May 27: Betty Lindberg set a world record in her age group for the 800 meters on Tuesday evening!  Read all about it here! 

May 10, 2016: 200 meter sprint at the Atlanta Track Club All-Comers Track and Field Meet

World Records for 200 meter distance:

Usain "Lightning" Bolt: 19.19 sec (2009)

Florence "FloJo" Griffith Joyner:  21.34 sec (1988)

Personal Record for 200 meter distance: 

Frank "E-I-E-I-O" McDonald: 41.26 sec (2016)

Atlanta Track Club has set up the field for this evening's track and field meet.
Photo taken around 4:30 pm this afternoon, on the beautiful Emory University campus. 

The second week of the All-Comers track meets at Emory were held this evening.  I enjoyed participating in several of these meets last summer, and one of tonight's events, the 200 meter race, was part of the Atlanta Track Club's Grand Prix series.  When I registered for this event a few weeks ago, I was asked for an estimated time.  As I had never run a 200 meter race, I decided to take my slower 400 meter time from last year (1:31) and divide by 2, submitting a conservative figure of 45 seconds.  When the heats were announced earlier today, I was amused to see that I was in a heat of seven men, all of whom had entered times from 45 - 46 seconds. 

Runner #5 called us all a bunch of "sandbaggers",
as we all finished faster than 45 seconds!
(except for #4, who didn't show) 

To prepare for today's event, I consulted the internets for expert advice. [1] [2] [3]  Unfortunately I would not have an opportunity to practice any of the suggested techniques before the race, but adopted the following strategy: 

phase 1) the first 40 meters, accelerate as fast as possible; 

phase 2) get into a comfortable pace through the first 100 meters; 

phase 3) accelerate again coming out of the turn onto the straightaway, over 30 - 40 meters; and 

phase 4) remember to relax while keeping the rhythm that you've established in phase 3 to propel you through the finish line. 

I arrived around 6:30 pm, about an hour before our race began, and warmed up easily on the grass field, occasionally stopping to watch some of the other races, chatting with friends and acquaintances in the track club, and then jogging a bit more.  When it was our time to begin, six of the seven assigned to our heat were ready to run.  At the starting gun, within a few seconds the runners on the inside in lane 2 and then in lane 1 passed me.  I managed to stay on plan and just tried to keep a comfortable pace, knowing that I would try to accelerate again at the halfway point.  But by the halfway point, it was clear that the other five runners were well in front of me.  I did manage to accelerate a bit coming out of the turn onto the straightaway, and felt good racing down the straightaway even if I was in last place in my heat.  I saw 41 seconds on the clock as I crossed the finish line, official time was 41.26 seconds.  Remarkably, everyone in my heat ran much faster than the time that they had submitted! 

I checked my pulse within about 10 seconds of finishing, and my heart rate was only at 142 beats per minute.  I think that the problem was lack of flexibility in my legs, I simply could not move them any faster!  Sure, I was a little winded, but I think that cardiovascular function was not my principal limitation in the short distance.  So this was a valuable experience in giving me something to work on.  Back to the yoga stretches! 

Now that I was properly warmed up, I decided to join the 800 meter race, about 45 minutes after my 200 meter heat had completed.  I started with the slowest group (everyone after the 3:10 group), resolving to try for 3:30, and hoping to run both laps evenly, therefore finishing the first lap at 1:45.  Our group of 15 - 20 started quickly.  As we made our way onto the back straightaway, I found that I was starting to pass a few people.  I stayed in lane 2 for the first lap, not wanting to get in the way of anyone that might speed up behind me.  I finished the first lap in 1:42 and was feeling fairly good, like I had one more lap at that speed in me.  At that moment, two young women sped past me in lane 1, but I was able to speed up a bit and they didn't open much more distance on me.  I wasn't sure how close the next runner was behind me, and never saw a shadow on the back turn, but decided to move into lap 1 for the rest of the way, and am happy to say that no one passed me.  Although I didn't look behind me, I don't think that it was because there was no one left to pass me!  

I was happy with this race, finishing at 3:25.  When I checked my numbers from last year, it turns out that I ran the 800 meters in 3:10, so I did go a little slower this year.  Something to think about, as the next Grand Prix race in two weeks is at the 800 meter distance.