I think one of the most important things about setting goals and working towards them is tracking progress. Only upon review do you get any sort of evidence that you're either a.) on track or b.) not on track. Duh. So, to review, I noted five goals for the year. I don't know that I put a whole lot of time and effort into determining in which direction I wanted to go this year, but I threw some down to give myself something to work towards.
In short, my goals were:
1. Bike Commute More - So far I've biked to work once this year. I like to think it would have been more, but I picked up a knee injury on January 21st and haven't run or biked since in order to rest up for a 40 mile race in a few days. If the knee is in good shape after the 40, I'll begin again.
2. Run a sub 20 minute 5k each week - So far I'm 5 for 5 covering the first 5 weeks of the year. I started with a 19:27 on January 2nd, was a second slower on January 10th, but lowered my time to 19:01 on January 19th. While this isn't quite a race effort, it's no jog either and requires planning and focus. On the 28th (the last day of week 4) I ran a 19:18 and followed that with a 19:12 on the first day of week 5. Now I'm just hoping to be able to finish the 40 miler this Saturday and recover enough (or have enough ibuprofen) to run on Friday the 10th. (come on 19:59!)
3. Do sit-ups every day - Fail. Maybe did sit-ups three days? Pull-ups were re-incorporated into my routine on the 23rd of January. Renew the sit-up focus today. (Bikini season isn't that far away!)
4. Pay off $10,000 in mortgage principle - Meh, not thrilled about progress so far, but there's 11 more months to go. We're trying to refinance at a much lower rate (5.625% current at 30 year, looking at 3.25% at 15 year) which will help out a lot, but there aren't very good comparables for the appraiser so we're having some trouble getting the re-fi nailed down. Either way, $10k on principle is the goal for the year and I should have something to post next month. So far we've paid $840 towards principle this year.
5. Run more and aim for 3000 miles - 3k would be about 500 more than I've ever run in a year and would take a year-long effort. While I'm not giving up on this one yet, it may be too ambitious for my crappy knees (as indicated by my week off needed in January). First two weeks were solid at 70 miles, but the knee thing has this goal on hold.
To be quite frank, I've been focused more on day to day living more than I've been focusing on these (arbitrary) goals. I suppose, that's a good thing, considering that none of these goals really had anything to do with the main responsibilities in my life (work, husband, father).
Brooks Affiliate
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Free to a good home
I have 70 +/- issues of UltraRunning magazine that I need to get rid of. They're mostly between 2002 and 2009, with several before that. Not quite a complete collection, but most of them. Email or comment if interested.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Prayers
Keep this lady in your prayers as she's not doing well...
Matriarch of the Smythe Clan with her Son's oldest son and his sons from April 2011.
My LBS
Though I haven't bought a new bike since 2000 (they're all used, mixed collections of ebay parts, and frames), I consider my Local Bike Shop to be Flythe Cyclery in Raleigh. They're located just on the north side of "downtown", at the corner of Peace Street and West Street. I don't know much about their history, but I know it was established in 1946 when it was located on Salisbury Street. It moved to its current location 40 years ago.
Every time I've been there for bike service, the guys have been extremely pleasant, knowledgeable, and helpful. While some shops might have an air of ego in them, Flythe doesn't. I dropped my cross bike off today to have the wheels trued and brakes repaired in hopes of getting into a riding groove over the next couple months. Should be ready this afternoon, too! Just in time for a nice weekend!
Every time I've been there for bike service, the guys have been extremely pleasant, knowledgeable, and helpful. While some shops might have an air of ego in them, Flythe doesn't. I dropped my cross bike off today to have the wheels trued and brakes repaired in hopes of getting into a riding groove over the next couple months. Should be ready this afternoon, too! Just in time for a nice weekend!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Willis River Trail 50k 2012 Edition
For the third time in the last four years, I enjoyed a full Saturday morning on the Willis River Trail at Bear Creek State Park in Cumberland, Virginia, hosted by the Richmond Road Runners. After skipping the run in 2011 with a one-month old baby, I made the 2+ hour drive up early Saturday morning for a 50k trail race. My brother, Matt, lives in Midlothian, so he's sort of the reason for my attendance.
Back in 2009, I stopped at 35k on a ZERO degree morning. Seriously, ZERO. Taken as an average of the car thermometers...-1, 0, 1. That was cold. The next year I finished first in the 50k, but really only because the guy in front of me went off course. I ran the Frosty 50k last year and this year set sights on the 50k again as a training run for Uwharrie, three weeks past.
We started with temps in the mid-20s, cold enough for me to wear a short sleeved shirt under my singlet. I ran hard, but relaxed at the start, focusing on running my own pace, something that I could "hold" for long enough to get started on the last 15k. This race is unique in that all runners do an out and back 35k then have the option of continuing on for the full 50k. This is a pretty tricky thing to do - to force yourself to run another 10 miles when there's a perfectly good reason to stop.
The first section of trail, from the start to the first aid station, is a long 5ish miles, probably closer to 6 and took around 50 minutes. Running through the aid station, I continued on to the turnaround in around 7th place or so. I hit the turnaround in around 1:25 and began the return trip. I went back and forth over whether to stop at the 35k or not, never really making my mind up one way or the other. I passed two runners and hit the 35k mark as the 5th runner. Two went on to the 50k, two stopped. At least third place either way. Onward it was.
As luck would have it, I caught up with the first two guys, who were running together, halfway to the turnaround. I pushed on past them, but then got pretty tired at the turnaround and was only a minute or so ahead. My lack of calories (3 gels total) was catching up to me and I got caught by Josh halfway back to the finish. We ran together for most of the rest of the race, until the last climb up to the finish where I just couldn't keep up. Bonk.
I made it back about 20 seconds behind him, in second place. Matt was still there, after finishing his 35k half an hour earlier. I didn't feel very good at the end, but was overjoyed to be done. I was awarded a beautiful "running bear" trophy for my effort and a second place overall by pushing through to the end.
My time was less than a minute faster than when I "won" in 2010, solidifying my "lost year" of 2011, training-wise. I wasn't able to stick around long because I wanted to get back for the Olympic Trials. The Willis River Trail races are great events. Wonderful organization, beautiful and challenging trail, and very low-key. A great option to some bigger events, but it does sell out quickly.
Cheers!
Back in 2009, I stopped at 35k on a ZERO degree morning. Seriously, ZERO. Taken as an average of the car thermometers...-1, 0, 1. That was cold. The next year I finished first in the 50k, but really only because the guy in front of me went off course. I ran the Frosty 50k last year and this year set sights on the 50k again as a training run for Uwharrie, three weeks past.
We started with temps in the mid-20s, cold enough for me to wear a short sleeved shirt under my singlet. I ran hard, but relaxed at the start, focusing on running my own pace, something that I could "hold" for long enough to get started on the last 15k. This race is unique in that all runners do an out and back 35k then have the option of continuing on for the full 50k. This is a pretty tricky thing to do - to force yourself to run another 10 miles when there's a perfectly good reason to stop.
The first section of trail, from the start to the first aid station, is a long 5ish miles, probably closer to 6 and took around 50 minutes. Running through the aid station, I continued on to the turnaround in around 7th place or so. I hit the turnaround in around 1:25 and began the return trip. I went back and forth over whether to stop at the 35k or not, never really making my mind up one way or the other. I passed two runners and hit the 35k mark as the 5th runner. Two went on to the 50k, two stopped. At least third place either way. Onward it was.
As luck would have it, I caught up with the first two guys, who were running together, halfway to the turnaround. I pushed on past them, but then got pretty tired at the turnaround and was only a minute or so ahead. My lack of calories (3 gels total) was catching up to me and I got caught by Josh halfway back to the finish. We ran together for most of the rest of the race, until the last climb up to the finish where I just couldn't keep up. Bonk.
I made it back about 20 seconds behind him, in second place. Matt was still there, after finishing his 35k half an hour earlier. I didn't feel very good at the end, but was overjoyed to be done. I was awarded a beautiful "running bear" trophy for my effort and a second place overall by pushing through to the end.
My time was less than a minute faster than when I "won" in 2010, solidifying my "lost year" of 2011, training-wise. I wasn't able to stick around long because I wanted to get back for the Olympic Trials. The Willis River Trail races are great events. Wonderful organization, beautiful and challenging trail, and very low-key. A great option to some bigger events, but it does sell out quickly.
Cheers!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Yowza...30??!!! Really? In one year???
Scott and Liz have begun an ambitious, adventure of the grandest scale.
I've known Scott since March 2002...wow, going on 10 years. Great runner, great guy. I'm very excited to follow their progress this year and am rooting for them!
30 100-mile races in 1 year. Impressive!
I've known Scott since March 2002...wow, going on 10 years. Great runner, great guy. I'm very excited to follow their progress this year and am rooting for them!
30 100-mile races in 1 year. Impressive!
Friday, January 27, 2012
MackFest 5k/10k Course Preview: Race Date June 1, 2012
This was another one of my side gigs - measuring and certifying the courses for the MackFest 5k and 10k races that are scheduled for June 1st (that's right, Friday night) in Burlington. They moved the races to a Friday night this year in order to have a band, (possible) fireworks, and cooler temps. The race is hosted by the City of Burlington and starts and finishes at Lake Mackintosh, just southwest of the City.
This is a rural course, mostly on two-lane roads. Both courses start on Huffman Mill Road and are slightly up-hill for the first half mile, then flatten out to the 1 Mile mark, after a left turn on Beaver Creek Road. The 5k turns around just after the right turn onto Beaver Hills Road, while the 10k continues into the Beaver Hills neighborhood, running all the way to the back before turning around. There are some beautiful homes in this neighborhood! The 10k then turns right onto Beaver Creek, going downhill to a bridge and about 200 meters up the other side before the final turnaround. From there, it's uphill back to Huffman Mill Road, then a nice flat-downhill back to the Marina. Once inside, the last quarter mile has a good downhill, then a final steep uphill (30 meters or so) before the last flat 100 meters to the finish.
They'll have plenty of refreshments and a band for a nice Friday evening for the family. On The Mark Sports will be timing the event and will have a link to the race in the next month or so. I'll update this with a link to registration when available.
This is a rural course, mostly on two-lane roads. Both courses start on Huffman Mill Road and are slightly up-hill for the first half mile, then flatten out to the 1 Mile mark, after a left turn on Beaver Creek Road. The 5k turns around just after the right turn onto Beaver Hills Road, while the 10k continues into the Beaver Hills neighborhood, running all the way to the back before turning around. There are some beautiful homes in this neighborhood! The 10k then turns right onto Beaver Creek, going downhill to a bridge and about 200 meters up the other side before the final turnaround. From there, it's uphill back to Huffman Mill Road, then a nice flat-downhill back to the Marina. Once inside, the last quarter mile has a good downhill, then a final steep uphill (30 meters or so) before the last flat 100 meters to the finish.
They'll have plenty of refreshments and a band for a nice Friday evening for the family. On The Mark Sports will be timing the event and will have a link to the race in the next month or so. I'll update this with a link to registration when available.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
All over the place
I'm going to try to do a better job of writing more regularly about random topics of interest (to me). This act will help me document some of my ideas for future reference and maybe, if anyone reads this, will help flesh out some of the idea "skeletons".
Today's idea is bike touring. I haven't done a long bike ride since 2009 when I did my version of the Boogie Ironman, or Boogieman to avoid any trademark similarities and such (think "Eat More Kale"). Anyway, all of my long rides have been one day adventures: once to Greensboro, a couple times to the beach, twice to the Boogie, and once up to my sister's wedding (though it wasn't that long, at 65 miles, it was LONG for my fitness level at the time.)
My idea is a 3 day adventure taking me from Raleigh to Greensboro, Greensboro to Marion, and finally, Marion to Canton, and tie it in with a visit to Andrea's "where she's from". Probably a summer, Thursday-Saturday and riding back on Sunday or Monday in the car.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Wanna come?
Today's idea is bike touring. I haven't done a long bike ride since 2009 when I did my version of the Boogie Ironman, or Boogieman to avoid any trademark similarities and such (think "Eat More Kale"). Anyway, all of my long rides have been one day adventures: once to Greensboro, a couple times to the beach, twice to the Boogie, and once up to my sister's wedding (though it wasn't that long, at 65 miles, it was LONG for my fitness level at the time.)
My idea is a 3 day adventure taking me from Raleigh to Greensboro, Greensboro to Marion, and finally, Marion to Canton, and tie it in with a visit to Andrea's "where she's from". Probably a summer, Thursday-Saturday and riding back on Sunday or Monday in the car.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Wanna come?
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