It was a blistering 37 degrees when we started the race yesterday. Mojo, I and ~27,000 other crazy souls watched the sun rise, tried desperately to keep warm (or rather, get warm) and wondered why it was taking so freaking long to get to the start line.
I officially started my fourth Las Vegas Half Marathon with less than 3 hours of sleep and a late night / early morning trying to find a missing friend, a $80 cab ride, calls to Las Vegas Highway Patrol and Las Vegas Police (both super nice, BTW) and finally, a found Jean.
Mojo and I ran together early in the race. By mile 2, I lost him as he stopped for a photo op and I stopped to shed a layer.
The first 8 miles were great -- I was running a consistent pace and feeling good. A bit after mile 8, my hips started to ache and I struggled to keep pace. By mile 10, my hips were hurting and I had to slow down significantly. By mile 11, I could see Mandalay Bay (finish line) and were being passed by walkers as I shuffled along. I told myself that I was having an awesome race and I will finish by "running" it, even if I ran slower than most of the walkers. :-)
I finished in a solid 2:41:53 / 12.21 mile pace! I averaged ~11:50 mile for the first 10 miles and slowed down those last 3 painful miles. Even with the slowdown, I averaged 30 seconds faster per mile than last year. WOOT!
Mojo finished his first half marathon (he's already thinking about his second one in Feb.) like a champ; check out his race writeup and pics at http://dennis.mojado.org/woot-123. I am proud of him (I remember him whining about finishing 3 miles!) and am so glad we had the chance to train together this year.
Lolita and Rich did the Half as well; both rocking it and had joined us for a post-race feeding. Jean (finally found) graciously treated us to an amazing dinner at Shabuyi (at MGM Grand) Sunday night. Leland booked us deliciously painful massages. All in all, another fabulous end to the year.
There were a lot of great t-shirts on the course but this is my all-time favorite now: This isn't sweat. My fat cells are crying.
Enough said.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Easing into it
Cognizant of the moderate left heel pain, right calf pain and super sore hips, I made sure I eased into today's run very slowly.
Heel pain wasn't an issue during the run but I feel it now.
Calf pain ramped up sharply in the first mile and as usual, as I warmed up, dulled in the second mile.
Sore hips was constant and it's this problem that troubles me.
On the upside, I booked it in mile 3 and especially in mile 4. Once warmed up, my body is GOOD TO GO.
Debating if I want to do one more short run tomorrow or start the veal-ing process.
Heel pain wasn't an issue during the run but I feel it now.
Calf pain ramped up sharply in the first mile and as usual, as I warmed up, dulled in the second mile.
Sore hips was constant and it's this problem that troubles me.
On the upside, I booked it in mile 3 and especially in mile 4. Once warmed up, my body is GOOD TO GO.
Debating if I want to do one more short run tomorrow or start the veal-ing process.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
WOW...WHOA...WOW
The strongest body odor funk hit me when I walked into the gym today. Since I encountered it, I can safely say 'it wasn't me'. Damn, it was overwhelming. Almost made me turn around and walk right back out.
For the sake of this weekend's race, I stopped breathing and race-walked to the dressing room to suit up for my run.
Was ready for a 4 or 5 miler today -- got the 'run' playlist and Self magazine ready. A mile and half into it, I had to stop. Right calf pain was agonizing. Hips didn't hurt as much but were sore. Bad, bad, bad news.
Had to work out to keep loose so decided to do an incline walk with hand weights. Still got a workout. Hope this helps me put in a good run tomorrow.
For the sake of this weekend's race, I stopped breathing and race-walked to the dressing room to suit up for my run.
Was ready for a 4 or 5 miler today -- got the 'run' playlist and Self magazine ready. A mile and half into it, I had to stop. Right calf pain was agonizing. Hips didn't hurt as much but were sore. Bad, bad, bad news.
Had to work out to keep loose so decided to do an incline walk with hand weights. Still got a workout. Hope this helps me put in a good run tomorrow.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Running together
It was freezing, FREEZING, today when we started the run. I half-kiddingly asked Mojo if he wanted to just head in for some bacon and breakfast instead -- he wanted in but our dutiful selves waddled off for a 7-miler. True, low 50s temperature may not see cold to some (e.g. Minesotans who spend ~5 months in subzero tempatures) but it was FREEZING to me.
Back to the run -- crystal blue sky and gorgeous view of the city along the embarcadero and Marina Green made us appreciative of where we get to live and run. My hips troubled me from almost the beginning; think the soreness was from the Great Highway run earlier in the week. I did okay until around mile 5 or so when soreness settled deep in the hips and my quads and back took up the slack, tiring quickly.
Mojo was kind enough to stop often those last two miles. This helped me get through the 7 miles relatively pain-free. Looking to get / stay loose this last week before race day.
Great training season! Loved getting to know Mojo in a different way; our friendship has grown via our usual IM-based communiques these past 6 years but there's something about sweating, struggling, running together that just bring friends closer together (and it's not because I was leaning into him for support!). :-)
Back to the run -- crystal blue sky and gorgeous view of the city along the embarcadero and Marina Green made us appreciative of where we get to live and run. My hips troubled me from almost the beginning; think the soreness was from the Great Highway run earlier in the week. I did okay until around mile 5 or so when soreness settled deep in the hips and my quads and back took up the slack, tiring quickly.
Mojo was kind enough to stop often those last two miles. This helped me get through the 7 miles relatively pain-free. Looking to get / stay loose this last week before race day.
Great training season! Loved getting to know Mojo in a different way; our friendship has grown via our usual IM-based communiques these past 6 years but there's something about sweating, struggling, running together that just bring friends closer together (and it's not because I was leaning into him for support!). :-)
Thursday, November 26, 2009
No smoking while exercising
I missed the Turkey Trot run in the park with Kay this morning -- because I was in bed, snoring away, having disarmed the alarm (probably by slamming on it during one of my REM cycles). Ever since my gum surgery last week, I've not run and have slept like a stone for 10 - 13 hours every night. Recovery, it seems, takes time and a lot of sleeping.
After slurping brunch (soft chicken pho is great for healing mouths) and building a new 'run' playlist, I tied on the shoes for my first run in over a week. The Great Highway backdrop was sublime and diametric to the rap / hip hop music thumping through my headphones. The headwind sucked; the tailwind rocked.
The shins were fine today but the hips, especially the right one, were very tight. Will need to put in a few runs this last week before the race to stay loose. The six miles weren't painful nor hard, just not easy. Good to see husband/waterboy on bike every so often; he makes me smile.
To the gentleman who was taking a walk on the GH -- lighting up during your walk definitely diminishes any health benefit you might have gained. But who am I to talk? I'm about to snack on some fried chicken. To each his own poison. :-)
After slurping brunch (soft chicken pho is great for healing mouths) and building a new 'run' playlist, I tied on the shoes for my first run in over a week. The Great Highway backdrop was sublime and diametric to the rap / hip hop music thumping through my headphones. The headwind sucked; the tailwind rocked.
The shins were fine today but the hips, especially the right one, were very tight. Will need to put in a few runs this last week before the race to stay loose. The six miles weren't painful nor hard, just not easy. Good to see husband/waterboy on bike every so often; he makes me smile.
To the gentleman who was taking a walk on the GH -- lighting up during your walk definitely diminishes any health benefit you might have gained. But who am I to talk? I'm about to snack on some fried chicken. To each his own poison. :-)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sweat it out
It was a super long day at work -- all-day working session with an external partner that left me mentally and physically exhausted. I only wanted to change into warm jammies and slurp ice cream on the couch.
I managed to drag my sorry self to the gym and as usual, felt great to sweat it ('it' = stress, stress, stress) on the treadmill.
It was a painful first mile but the rest of the four miles felt good if not a tad long (think I need to start bringing in my own magazines).
I'm staying away from the ice cream tonight but it's all I can think about right now. :-)
I managed to drag my sorry self to the gym and as usual, felt great to sweat it ('it' = stress, stress, stress) on the treadmill.
It was a painful first mile but the rest of the four miles felt good if not a tad long (think I need to start bringing in my own magazines).
I'm staying away from the ice cream tonight but it's all I can think about right now. :-)
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Best husband ever
I have the best husband ever!
Mojo and I did our longest training for the Vegas Half today and Lee, the best husband ever, was our roving water station. Armed with at least 4 books (how long did he think we'd take?!), he patiently waited at our 5 and 8 mile checkpoints with our water bottles.
The day was overcast and misty when we started our run in the Marina but damn, it turned out to be one amazingly beautiful day by the time we crossed the Golden Gate bridge back into the Marina at mile 5. See pics from Mojo's posting: http://dennis.mojado.org/105-miles-of-sf-grandeur.
Miles 1 - 3 sucked: shins burned and burned and burned.
Miles 4 & 5 were FAST: freakin' Mojo and his downhill pace.
Mile 5ish: awed by how beautiful the city looked with the Marina Green a deep emerald green in the foreground.
Mile 5 - 8: slower, chatty pace where Mojo and I...well, chatted.
Mile 9.8ish: started to book it with goal mileage in sight.
Mile 10ish: Mojo doesn't stop and keeps going.
Mile 10.1ish: cursing Mojo and spilling the Gatorade I was chugging, I keep running.
Mile 10.5ish: done running for the day! Proud of us -- we did it and no one was limping, crying or both by the end of it. Oh, and there was bacon. Perfect.
Mojo and I did our longest training for the Vegas Half today and Lee, the best husband ever, was our roving water station. Armed with at least 4 books (how long did he think we'd take?!), he patiently waited at our 5 and 8 mile checkpoints with our water bottles.
The day was overcast and misty when we started our run in the Marina but damn, it turned out to be one amazingly beautiful day by the time we crossed the Golden Gate bridge back into the Marina at mile 5. See pics from Mojo's posting: http://dennis.mojado.org/105-miles-of-sf-grandeur.
Miles 1 - 3 sucked: shins burned and burned and burned.
Miles 4 & 5 were FAST: freakin' Mojo and his downhill pace.
Mile 5ish: awed by how beautiful the city looked with the Marina Green a deep emerald green in the foreground.
Mile 5 - 8: slower, chatty pace where Mojo and I...well, chatted.
Mile 9.8ish: started to book it with goal mileage in sight.
Mile 10ish: Mojo doesn't stop and keeps going.
Mile 10.1ish: cursing Mojo and spilling the Gatorade I was chugging, I keep running.
Mile 10.5ish: done running for the day! Proud of us -- we did it and no one was limping, crying or both by the end of it. Oh, and there was bacon. Perfect.
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