New Route: The Grinder ... 20 miles training run

Long run today.  I combined two exiting runs, south to downtown Everett plus .  I wanted to loop by the Marina so headed west on Everett ave to catch W Marine View drive.  My target distance for today was 15-20 miles so I finished at the upper range, but the last 3 miles were really tough ... So I called this route "The Grinder" LOL  The route could be as long as 27 miles by closing the loop home.

I found this great site to record routes at http://www.walkjogrun.net/.  The site has also an Iphone app that lets you look up routes by your location.  I logged The Grinder there, the first route I recorded.  The mapping functionality is easy to use and allows to adjust, undo pins.  The route can be "locked" and "unlocked" for editing and marked "private" if wanted.  Everyone has access to everyone's else routes.  The "public" routes can be googled, that's how I found this site in the first place.  The site allows one to log their time in, keep a journal and provides training plan several race distances.  The site is free and displays "ads" in the a smaller window unless you make a one time $1 donation.

There is also a capability to embed the route unfortunately the HTML code isn't working in this editor and I don't know how to fix it.  Here is a snap shot of the map ...

"The Grinder"
20.15 miles
3:42:12
11:02 min / miles

Food for Thoughts ... Proteins for the muscles ...

Weight in today  ... 

158#

16.9 % BF

BMI 26.1

Holding constant weight and dropping some body fat yeah !  So that tells me muscle mass might have increased as well which is great since my goal has been not to loose any muscle as my long distance runs lengthen ... I figure if there was any the muscle gain is in my legs, but since I don’t keep track of body measurements I can’t say for sure.  Also I can’t say that some areas of my body have not lost muscle while other gained.

With that in mind I am at my daughter soccer’s practice reading about protein intake on Active.com article.  My recovery nutrition include usually a banana, sometimes an apple within 20 minutes of completing my training to replenish my energy stores and nutrients lost through exercise and perspiration.  I’ll shoot to have a protein supplement within 45 minutes of completing my training to provide proteins easily digestible for the body.  I tried the whey time released powders and I find those powder too light and I have not felt they work so I take the heavier protein shakes.

That said in this article the recommendation for athletes is:

1.2 to 1.4 g/kg of body weight per day for endurance athletes.

1.6 to 1.7 g/kg of body weight per day for resistance and strength-trained athletes.

What striked me is the statement that “these recommended protein intakes can generally be through diet alone, without the use of protein or amino acid supplements, if energy intake is adequate to maintain body weight.”  Anyone that has ever trained with a gym trainer will probably tell you the first thing you are told is when you begin these consumer training programs is you need to supplement your diet with all these products because you either “can not” meet your protein demand through diet alone or can’t meet it quick enough.  For me it is the later as I am rarely able to get a full meal within 45 minutes of exercising ...

Out of curiosity I calculated my recommended portion ... 158# * 1kg / 2# * 1.5 g protein / kg weight = 118.5 g proteins.

The article continue by suggesting that since the anabolic boost is transient  (I summarize and paraphrase here as the article goes in length), ingesting small doses of amino acids spread over the anabolic boost that follows exercise may be more effective than ingesting one large dose (say like a protein shake or a large meal).   The article also suggest that ingesting larger doses to further muscle growth may be just as ineffective.

The article also suggest the addition of carbohydrates does not further muscle growth but does sustain muscle recovery after a workout by replenishing muscle glycogen which is the main energy source.  I have been mixing powder carbohydrates with my protein shakes for a couple of months and I feel that my muscles are less sore and I feel more energy when I work out or run so I would second that opinion based on my experience.

The article concludes that “after a hard workout, athletes should consume a recovery beverage or snack that contains  small amount of high quality proteins with adequate carbohydrate” first to stimulate muscle repair (the small amount of high quality protein) and replenish the muscle glycogen (the carbs).  The food suggested includes sports nutrition shake as well as other foods such as ... “milk, small sandwich or energy bar with at least 10 grams of proteins” ... 

So my takeaway from this article?  Is that after workout shake THAT essential to muscle repair/growth when, according to this article, other solid foods could be substituted for an expensive nutritional shake ... I am really interested in considering an alternative to the shakes now ... Just another snack for the day ...

Training Tips from Active.com on Hill Repeats ...

http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/Hill-Repeats-to-Improve-Your-Run.htm?cmp=17-1-999?PageMode=Print

Because of the kids' soccer training at 6pm weekdays this may be a good time to implement more repeats into my training in lieu of the intermediate 6-8 miles runs on Wednesdays ... laps get boring after a while and there is nothing worse than a boring run lol  ...  I don't know what Hal Higdon would say about that ... In his advanced marathon training plan Hal recommends longer repeats for marathon (800m instead of 200m) and to alternate every third week ... I am ahead a little in the novice Program having already ran pretty much the longest run in it (given it was 19 miler instead of 20) and I have incorporated Hill runs from the beginning of my running ...

Mountain HWY Loop Run

There is only so many ways to make running in Marysville new and exiting, and this morning I just couldn't figure out a route long enough fun enough to feed on.  So ... we drove to the mountain loop HWY between Darrignton, WA and Granite Falls, WA ... I got dropped off at the south end of the compacted dirt road by SGF and started my way North to meet SGF at the end of the trail ... just because I am awesome like that LOL ...

The loop in is pink / red and the compact dirt trail part of it is in brown.  The entire  trail portion is 13.5 miles.

There is more information available on the Mountain Loop HWY at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Loop_Highway

 

Snapshot of the route I completed from the Hal Higdon Marathon training app.

Run stats: 13.54 miles; 02:13:22 hours; 09:50 min/mile.  The elevation change was 281 ft.  The base elevation for the run was around 1500 feet which for me is a change from the usual sea level runs.  I actually expected a more difficult run because of the altitude but in the end I just found myself regulating my breathing a little bit more but I was never out of breadth.

The route was downhill for the first few miles then I hit a pretty nice climb.  Some of the hills towards the north end were pretty steep though ...  Beautiful scenery.  Felt the fresh breeze blowing on my body as I ran pass waterfalls ... the warmth of the sun between the tree shades on the trail ... the rumbling of the white waters under the bridges ... at times it felt like the river was racing me along .... It was simply an amazing run.  SGF and I drove the loop on July 10 so I have a few pictures that I can share here with you ... 

The reasons I run have changed over the months but today I didn't care why I was running, I wasn't thinking about the marathon ... I felt blessed to be there,  to be able to interface with Mother Nature in the most basic form a man could ...

Spread the word !! Get your sbf-runs bumper sticker now !

All new SBF-RUNS.BLOGSPOT.COM/ bumper stickers are on their way !!! Msg me to get yours before they are all gone !!! First come first served !

Fivefingers - Day 5

It's been almost a week that I got the Vibram so I figure I would update you the readers on my experience with them.  I worked out all week with them, I wore them a few hours extra just walking around doing running errands and doing stuff.

Monday 7/18:
Cross training, back and triceps.  While doing overhead tricepts extension on the cable machine I felt significantly less stability than usual in my posture.  My legs were just flimsy and my core compensated a lot more.  I think my legs did not "know" how to provide the stability I needed without the extra support my regular shoes provide.  I find this most interesting ...  I also jogged a half mile on the track (8 laps) on the straight sections, slowed down and walked at a brisk pace on the curve sections.  The intent is to break into the Vibrams slowly

Wednesday 7/20:
I went to Crystal MacMillan Fit Club.  We did TurboFire which is a tempo cardio workout with running drills and kick boxing inspired moves.  I did not feel impeded by not wearing regular shoes but I was worried to not overdo on lateral movements ... For two reasons: first because activities that require sudden lateral movement is discouraged when you train for long distance running (as running is mostly in one direction) and second because I was wary that the absence of support from the Vibrams would put increased pressure on my knees laterally.   I ran my scheduled seven miler for the day after Fit Club in my Brooks.  My legs felt definitely heavier.  I felt weird pain on the outside of my left knee.  I felt sluggish so I think I had just ran out of steam at the Fit Club.  Heat did not help either ... mmm ...   Fit club and the training run was probably too much ...  But I digress lets get back on the topic !

Friday 7/22:
Took a day of rest Thursday and slept like 6 hours instead of my usual 4 so I was bursting with energy today or so it seemed!  I cross-trained shoulders and arms today, 45 minutes.   I wore the Vibrams of course.  I warmed up with 5 min jumping rope ... I was bouncing like a bunny or so it felt.  In part because the Vibrams are lighters than my regular Aesics I use for cross-training ... But the form was also different ...  I bounced off the forefoot instead of the entire foot like I do with the Aesics.  My feet altered their usual position naturally (that is I didn't "try" to change the position of my feet rather it just happen naturally).  This is worth noting because after that I did my 4 miler training run that was scheduled for Thursday ... Well the 4 miles turned into a 6 miler because of the route but that's a different story ...  What is noteworthy is how my legs ran ... That's right.  My legs had a mind of their own today.  It's hard putting into words.  It's like my feet were reaching further forward and down ... My strike was different ... The heel strike was smoother ... The pace was pretty fast too, about 8:15 min/mile.  This "phenomena" lasted between about half mile into the run  to mile 4.5.  After that, fatigue settled in and I reverted to my normal strike (heel first hard).  I felt the difference instantaneously.  I think there is something to these shoes ...

So five days into wearing my Vibrams I noticed changes in form, more power in my strides, weird pain and sorenesses on the sides of my legs and feet that come and go ...   So the question on my mind tonight is how do I ensure the Vibrams are safe?  Five days into wearing my Vibrams and my stride is mutating before  my eyes ...  It's amazing !

Langus Riverfront trail - Trail update

My last run on that trail I saw two runners crossing the bridge back from the lake and heading west.  I followed them, turning left instead of turning around.  There is a loop that goes between the treatment ponds.  The total distance of the loop is about 3.2 miles.

The loop goes west at the third purple pin.

The scenery consisted of PUD buildings and ponds and one can't help notice the smell ah ah but still,  Quick and easy 5k training run :)

I got my fivefingers, have you got yours?

I was at REI last Sunday (7/17) and I finally got to check the Vibrams out!   Max (REI salesperson that assisted me) explained the Vibram FiveFingers KSO is a 3.5 mm rubber sole design that mimics the natural foot.  Vibram also offers optimized models for specific activities such as running.  REI carries several flavors of the Vibram FiveFingers.  I checked out the KSO as well as the BILIKA (running), Treksport and KSO Trek. While the KSO is the closest to barefoot and the most versatile model the Bilika is optimized for running, the Treksport is optimized for the rugged outdoors, with molded cleat imprints for enhanced traction.  The first three use a mold and odor resistant nylon-based fabric, similar to that of bathing suits, machine washable and that can be used in water.  The KSO Treck is covered with Kangoroo leather and not recommended to get wet, however I checked with my workplace safety bulletins yesterday, the KSO-Trek is acceptable in factory-settings whereas the other Vibram FiveFingers are not.  You can review the complete FiveFingers product line here.

I chose to try on the Bilika.  Here are a few snapshots:

Top view shows the toe, the most recognizable feature of these shoes ...

This is what the webbed toes look like from up close ...

Close-up shows the inside texture of the shoe including the webbing around the toe ...

Midsole and cleats imprint ...

Technical Specs [copied from www.vibramfivefingers.com]:

^Materials:

^{UPPER - Stretch Polyaminde with TPU toe caps for protection}

^{SOLE - Anatomical Pods TC-1 Rubber}

^{FOOTBED - 3mm Polyurethane with Dri-Lex Sockliner}

^{Machine washable. Air dry.}

^{Weight: Men's size 42 - 6.0oz. each, 12.0oz./pair}

The FiveFingers can be worn with or without socks.  According to Max the foot-tight design prevents rubbing, but if you decided to wear socks you would have to get the the foot-glove socks that fit around your toes to match the contour of the shoe !  I decided to go radical and wear no socks.  Putting on the shoes the first time is definitely awkward.  You must put them on like you would gloves, spreading and sliding each toe in location then the heel, then strap the entire show (Velcro strap).  The entire process took over a minute.

In a way it was both the perfect time and the worse to try the FiveFingers.   Perfect because as I completed my longest training run that morning ... about 18.5 miles ... and had some distinctive soreness on the sides of my feet, my calves and my knees,  I felt relief in my feet immediately.  The open-toe design allows the toes to spread as you step which increases the foot contact area thus the stability of your posture, and also relieve pressure from the side since there is no shoe structure to push your toes inward as you take a step like a regular shoe would. 

The Vibrams are extremely light, 12.0 oz.  I jumped in place and it didn't even feel like I had the shoes on.  I ran around the place for a few seconds with a normal strike and I could feel stronger impact at each step.  The Fivefingers promote forefoot striking instead of heel striking, one strikes with the flat of the foot first ... When I adjusted my stride I felt mounted on springs as I jogged a lap around the store ... Still felt quite a bit of impact considering I was just jogging ...

The feel on the side of my feet convinced me to get them.  I have wide feet and rarely find shoes that don't compress my toes and the Vibrams Fivefingers felt so good, like the soreness of the day was gone instantaneously.  There lies the controversy of these shoes though.  The Vibrams activate a different set of muscles than when you wear regular shoes and when first starting out with them you really need to re-learn out to walk/run at a slow pace to avoid injuring these under-used muscle.  In the absence of pain there is no indicator that you may be getting hurt and may result in a greater injury.  The key is to not overdo it.  The other limiting physiology is if you have a tendency to pronate a lot (need extra support) or have a big arch.

My goal will be to use the Vibrams when I cross-train or walk.  I will put to test the theory that the flat design and thin sole strengthen the foot and improve the way the body runs.   So my expectations are that I will strengthen my feet while improving my stride LOL.  I found this testimony.  Do explosive runs?  Don't know really at this point  I don't see myself cutting down on distance because well I love distance.  I don't run for the cardio, I run because I love running.  So I will likely go back and forth between my regular shoes and the Fivefinger for a while and experiment ... And in case you were wondering like this blogger was ... What happens when the weather gets bad? (not that the weather has been THAT great in the Puget Sound lately LOL) ...  Well they do have a Vibrams for that !  The FLOW with added insulation ...

Stay tuned for more updates :)

Thank you Allied Running Medals Hangers

Please welcome special blogger SGF tonight only as she talks about an awesome medal hanger supplier, Allied Running Medals Hangers ....

So...I purchased a special "SBF Runs" medal hanger from Allied Metal Running Hangers.  I called and spoke with Joel when the hanger didn't come a few days after I ordered it.  I was assured that the product would arrive before our anniversary after explaining that I was very excited to give it as a gift.  A few more days passed...our anniversary came and went and still...no hanger.  I called and spoke with Joel about this again.  It turns out that unfortunately, there was a problem with the laser and the hanger couldn't be cut until it was fixed.  I was pretty upset but understand that things can happen sometimes so didn't say much about it.

I received a package a few days later.  To my surprise, inside was the beautiful SBF RUNS hanger that I ordered and that you can see at the top of this page.. but also two more hangers!  One that says "RUNNER" and one that says "MARATHON".  I was not expecting this at all and am very grateful that this company is so committed to customer service! These additional hangers give SBF something to strive for.. to fill them all with metals from his achievements!

I must also mention that these hangers are expensive but well worth it in quality.  I was blown away to discover the two additional free hangers.  I would recommend Allied to any runner wishing to show their accomplishments!  SBF RUNS is proudly displayed on our living room wall for all to see.

"The big thing most runners don't talk about ... " repost from Active.com

Although many are reluctant to discuss this simple fact of life or may even find the subject "repulsive" ... The matter is ... I poop, you poop ... We all poop.  So that's the subject of this article and you are hereby forewarned (even I can sound lawyerly sometimes !)

An amazing transformation I experienced when I started weight lifting two years ago were the changes in my bowels movements ...  I still remember running on the treadmill next to Ro the crazy ex-Marine,  my trainer at the time, about a couple of months into my first ever personal training.  Out of the blue Ro blasted out how many times a day I was pooping now ... I was shocked at first I didn't know what to say ... Ro told me though that the subject is nasty but pooping is part of the biological cycle and an indication of how well (or not so well) our bodies function.   He didn't push for an answer but I volunteered that my poops were more often in smaller amounts at a time, where I used to have a big one once a day ... Once past the weirdness of it all we discussed the meaning of it ... I now use poop as an indication how high my metabolism is at ...  I also have experienced an urgency to go more often, in the middle of an intensive workout for example, although it has never been as bad as it has when I run.  It is one thing when it happens at the gym, but I have had to cut training runs short to dash home squeezing my buttocks so hard you would think I had a rocket fired into my ... mmm ... but I digress ...  The point of this post is you ask by now ...

Ok, so you made it this far :)  I will admit, I have been struggling with "runner's diarrhea", "urgency to defecate"as I have been increasing my training runs frequency.  Whatever you wanna call it the problem is annoying to say the least.  I saw products to combat runner's diarrhea advertised before.  As a matter of fact I was hoping to find some demos at the Seattle Sports Expo last month and didn't.  I found this article at  www.myraceragz.com/blog "The big thing most runners don't talk about ..."  that discusses the taboo subject of runner's diarrhea while surfing the web looking for products to combat diarrhea ...

The article gives medical background behind the issue (got to admit I was never too curious to understand why it happens but I found even that part very educative), and some advice to deal with it.  A recommendation stood out for me:  "before you embark on a hard workout, exercise lightly to help stimulate a bowel movement, poop, and then exercise hard."  I have to admit that it had never occurred to me to go on the onset.  Usually I try to go before I start the workout, but when I feel like I "can't go", many times I'll end up going in the middle of the workout.  I refer to it as "kickstarting my metabolism" as it feels like the exercise makes space in my stomach as a prep to eating to nourish my body at the end of the workout ...  Point being, I could probably go earlier, after the warm up before I get heavy into my routines.  Of course if I am on a training run oftentimes the only way to implement this recommendation is to map a bathroom or two early into the run,  or be "prepared" to deal with the emergency if running on trails ... as the article also points out ...


But the one recommendation that stood out too is the one I didn't find.  I was expected to find some product recommendation to fight the diarrhea.  But there wasn't any.  No magic anti-runner's diarrhea pill recommendation ...  But by now I am re-thinking my approach.  I have been running for two years without taking any products.  Is putting more pills in my body really necessary since I have not for the last two years and have run suceesfully?  Not really, I realize reading this article that this is a very common problem.  And the problem can be dealt with with better management.  Rather than reacting to it I should just plan that it is going to happen ... Saves me dollars and saves my kidneys so that I can run another day ! 

Rien de Rien ...

I returned to the Langus trail for my first run after the Firecracker 5000 5k, to explore the south trail (remember last month I ran a trail heading north that ended about a mile out).  My target distance for tonight was about 6 miles.  The south route winds between the lake and the river across three or four pedestrian bridges, the same bridges I noticed the first time around.  The trail was wide and nicely groomed, soft in some places but never too difficult to manage.  it was exiting running this trail again, to the point that I think I should do more trails runs.  I ran past a rabbit that just stood there ...  From a technique standpoint the trail requires more attention as you have to keep an eye constantly where you step and avoid obstacles.  The softer ground requires more support so more likely than not I would need a different pair of shoes if I was to run trails regularly.  About three mile into the run i took a fork left toward the lake.  With spaces of water on either side of me, another encounter with the [wild?] ... A black cat was chilling on the side of the trail.  The cat turned its head and looked at me with its big yellows eyes, as if letting me know that he owned this territory and had allowed to cross over his bridge un-scaped ... The trail finally looped back and around 4-5 miles was heading back to the bridge.  The looped turned out to be not around the lake but rather between the south end of the lake and the river.    This was another great discovery run, a mix of runner rush with the fun and excitement of discovering this loop, even as I got lost and found my way back ...

Here is a snapshot of the final trail ...  distance 7.20 miles ...  avg pace 9:15 min/mile.

Vibram 5 Fingers

What are those is what I though the first time I saw a pair of Vibram Five Finger on a fellow skydiver at the DZ.  I though these looked cool !  I have been intrigued about them ever since ...

These shoes are apparently designed around the idea that wearing normal trainers impede our natural abilities to run and returning to barefoot running is the purest kind of running ... Human babies are born without shoes.  Walking in Vibram Five Fingers promotes the usage of muscles in the foot/leg normally under-utilized.  I chatted a little on-line about these with runners.  There is a school of thoughts that swears by them.  They do take some time to get used to and should be worn for shorter distances when transitioning to them, in the one to three mile range.  I was recommended to use them on short runs less than a mile and on the treadmill first ...

Even as one may think the argument that one is born without shoes makes sense at first, the other school of though is that from the time we learn to walk we use shoes so that our bodies are conditioned to use trainers regardless.  This argument seemed to be reinforced by what seemed to be an increase in running-related injuries in runners wearing Vibram Five Fingers, or even bare-foot runners in general.  The question could be not so much as whether barefoot running causes injuries so much as whether the injuries from running are more prevalent in some individuals as the following article concludes:

"The Barefoot Running Injury Epidemic" from triathlon.competitor.com

I wanted to check some Vibram Five Fingers out at the Seattle Sports Expo.  There weren't any on display, my guess because the expo was geared toward long distance running ...   Still I can not, not be intrigued by the Vibrams.  I think they could make for a nice pair of exercise shoes for the gym.  But at a $100 price tag that makes for an expensive bargain so for now ... I satisfy my curiosity with writing about the Vibram Five Fingers and fantasizing what it is like to wear some ...

Firecracker 5000 July 3rd 2011

I completed the Firecracker 5K Run / Walk event at Midnight July 3rd.  The route took us around the Seattle Center with lots of different angles of the Space Needle ...  Definitely fun!!!   This run has existed in Seattle for many years but this year is the first I heard of it.    The race started from the Seattle Center Memorial stadium, wound around the Seattle Center and terminated where it started.  

The biggest challenge of the night was to find (free) parking.  I witnessed a miracle when after driving around for 20 minutes SGF spotted a free spot off the main street as we were about to call it quits and go to one of the pay parking.  I mean common paying for parking at 11:30 pm?

I geared up and warmed up on the Stadium patch ... Doing strides ...

And running backwards .... 

My mindset for the race was pretty relaxed, run the race at a good pace but not so challenging pace so I targeted 25 minute finish time in my head.  Part of that mindset is that those 5ks are hard, and if you gonna run this distance competitively it takes a lot of wind out of you!  I was discussing just that with Justin from the Run26 store a few days ago.  Although to the uninitiated running is running, after running a few races myself I realize how each race distance requires a different strategy to ensure a successful race.  You don’t run a 5k like you finish a half-marathon.  Our discussion actually focused on how a full marathon is more about pain management whereas you may finish a 5k vomiting because you pushed your body was so hard.  In that context, the 13.1 distance seem best as I enjoy both the distance and the event.  13.1 miles isn’t as challenging physically whereas the 5k is if I am gonna run it in the 22 - 23 minutes range ... And I wouldn’t know about a full marathon as I have yet to run that distance but I can imagine it will be hard as well ... the other side of the pushing the limit spectrum when you run ...  I won’t enjoy the painful 6 miles as much as relish in the achievement of completing the distance under good times ...

The starting line had no waves  ... 

And the course began through a tunnel, so 1500 runners trying to squish through a less than 30 feet wide tunnel for a few hundred feet made for a reeeaaallly slow start for everyone.  I was at the back of the pack which didn’t help.    I got frustrated quickly and as soon as I could I got started working my way up the pack.  Put aside the slow start (it is Seattle afterall, so slowdowns are to be expected LOL) ... it was a fun run.  Not much flat and nice rolling “hills” so I switched over quads and gluts to maintain speed on the ups and take advantage of gravity on the “downs”.  I would lookup and see the Space Needle at different angles at different times but towering over me most of the time ...  

I didn’t slow down throughout the race.  But soon after a mile 1 marker I started feeling pain on my right side which tells me that I was cramping so I worked at regulating my breathing for the next half mile to work through the cramp.  About two third of the way we passed a few bars and people were cheering us ...  I high-fived that dude that was standing in the middle of the course ... he had both hands extended to his left and right, drunk as hell, the high-five bitch giving them up to whoever wanted them ah ah ... When you are out there running your ass off never pass a free high five opportunity !

Now hitting mile 2 marker, I am managing my pace, keeping it fast but sustainable ...  That’s the part I like least about the 5k.  Another thing about this race was I didn’t see any markers along the route so the only indication how much distance remained was my Runkeeper updates ... glad Runkeeper decided to function properly :)  Anyway coming in by the large parking structures I knew we where close to the end yet the end seemed soooo far away ... Then 2 muscular black guys flew by us on the left and I though to myself “ugh “. where do they find that kind of power so far into the race ... That’s about when I noticed this other guy about 20 feet in front of me that was limping on both legs ... First I though wow that guy must be hurt bad until I realized that he wasn’t bending his knees at all, I have to assume due to some issues with his legs, still he was running ... Great race spirit which helped me refocus for the last half mile ...

I could hear the voices in the stadium by now so we were very close to the finish ... I was coming in on the left side of the tunnel ... So focused on not giving up I wasn’t thinking finish strategy at all.  I really should had been coming on the right side (the inside  of the last curve) ... I started sprinting too soon too and ran out of steam about 50 feet out from the finish line.  The last runner I passed in the tunnel caught up to me  ... i saw his foot hitting the finish mat has one tiny little second before mine ...  I finished the Firecracker 5k pretty much like I finished the Rock and Roll Half.  I had a great finish at the Rock and Roll but as i mentioned at the beginning of the post, each distance requires a different strategy so what worked for the rock and Roll didn’t for the Firecracker 5000 ...

In retrospect I started too fast with the purpose of making up time where I think in the end I have lost a few seconds as a result ... I need to remember to position myself for the final sprint on the inside of the route, zigzag less ... Wait a little more for the final sprint so that I maximize that sprinting distance and make a splash at the finish ... Little things that will help me improve my next event I hope :)

Pictures in this post are courtesy SGF, Team SBF ... thank you for your incredible support!  For those who don’t know my girlfriend drove 12 hours straight from Northern California yesterday to be back in Washington on time to accompany me to the race ... You are the best baby <3 ... 

 I am wearing the red Tshirt on the left of this picture at the finish line ...

So note to self ... these couple black guys I though were so bad ass ... they are the two guys a few feet in front of me in this picture ... I caught up to them in the end ! 

Race Stats:

Finishers: 1351

Females: 783

Males: 560

Average time: 31:08

My Stats:

BIB: 254

Overall: 150/1351

Division M30-39: 32/150

Sex: 134/560

Finish: 22:47

Pace: 7:21

Mix can of thoughts ...

It's a beautiful summer afternoon here in the Pacific Northwest ... hanging by myself so I decided to catch up on my blogging.  There isn't enough time in the day to keep this blog up-to-date ... But here I am, I am alone and it gives me something to do this afternoon and I feel happy when I write ... words flow naturally ... like when feet strike the pavement ... The most difficult decision of the day was definitely where to go to write ... Didn't want write from home.  I was taking some notes down about the mud run the other day while waiting for seating at Olive Garden in their bar and I really enjoyed that environment, so I though to myself I should find a cool public place like that to hang at when I want to write ... The catch ?  I need WI-FI hence why I write from the public library tonight.  The library does close in half-hour so I will have to migrate to a different place soon.

I have several topics I want to catch up with .. the Survivor mud run, the Seattle Rock and Roll half ... latest goodies I test ran at the Seattle RnR half.  I set my goal on a full marathon to run in September also.  The memorial runforlise.com in August, the firecracker 5k run a video that Jessica posted about correct striking form ...  That's what comes to mind at this time ...

I see that I am able to attach a location to this post, that's awesome :)  It's also fun discovering all the cool features of the blog ... Like I just closed my Safari window by mistake and I though oh no I lost this great post that you are reading  .... But I can click on "Edit posts" and found this post saved.  I can even edit published posts ...