OT - Running

[Justin Havu]

Did a 6.25 mile run today. Ran the first mile at a 9:45 pace, and slowed down for the rest, around 11:00-11:30. A little tiring, but a whole hell of a lot of fun!

[Dave Ferris]

Great ! Is the furthest you've run ?

 

Three weeks and one day out from the triple hernia surgery , I walked 4 miles today (with my little Border Collie mix) and incorporated 8 little running intervals ( followed by ample recovery time walking between each) ranging from 2 minutes to 4 minutes & .19 to .38 miles.

 

Total distance covered running - 1.88 miles. We were out for 61 minutes total. Longest I've run since I did 8 miles on Friday 5/9 before the surgery on 5/16.

 

Feels good to even do just a little. You don't know how much you miss it till you can't do it at all..

 

Have my second followup with the Doc on the morning of 6/16. Hopefully I'll be cleared to start increasing the mileage a bit. Till then, have to be sure not to over do things and take it real easy.

 

Still not supposed to lift the CP4... Thank God for acoustic pianos on gigs...even if they are brutal.

[Justin Havu]

That's my furthest distance--for now!! The next big run is the Father's Day 5K I'm doing next Sunday. I'm so pumped for it! I want to get one more speed workout and possibly a slow 3.5 or 4 mile run before the big day.

[Justin Havu]

I will say this, too. My clothing choices as of late have definitely benefitted my ability to run longer distances, and has helped my speed--just gravitated to 3" running shorts, and a singlet. Furthermore, Over the last year, I've found a bunch of singlets in various thrift shops in my area, still looking for more shorts as I only have one pair of 3" shorts. I'm the most comfortable I've been in a long time.

[Justin Havu]

Just bought a foam roller today. Can't wait to incorporate that into my cool downs. Will definitely be utilizing it after my 5K tomorrow!

[Justin Havu]

Ran my second 5K this morning. Finished it in 28:35 with an average 9:12 pace. First mile was my fastest mile at around 8:35. Slowed down a bit for the second mile, then picked it back up for the final mile. The weather was gorgeous, sunny, 72 degrees, perfect day for a run!

[Dave Ferris]

Shaved off just under 4 minutes. Congrats !

 

Stay on it, you'll probably bring that down a few minutes too. You always make the most progress when you're starting out.

 

No speed work for at least 3 days. Just easy running.

 

In my fastest 5K, the Gardena 5K, which was my very first, I was following along with a fellow club member. He took us through the first mile in 5:35 I slowed WAY down from there finishing in 18:45. After maybe a dozen 5Ks, I never did beat that time.

 

In Nov. it will 10 years since my last race. Santa Clarita Half marathon in 1:35 at age 51. Retired from racing after that.

[Justin Havu]

Just bought a foam roller too. Used it before and after the race. It's great to have, just gotta get used to how it feels.

 

I'll post some race pics as soon as I can get my hands on them. My next goal is to successfully complete a 10K. I'm looking at one at the end of July. I don't have a target time in mind, just to complete it without walking.

[Justin Havu]

This was from the 5K this past Sunday in Dover, NH, about to cross the finish line. I'm in the blue/white singlet.

 

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/justinhavu/imagejpg1-2.jpg

[Justin Havu]

Went for an 8-miler on Friday to gear up for a 10K at the end of next month. I'll still be doing my 1.5 mile morning run every morning to help wake me up, then once a week, I'll substitute one of my morning runs for some interval training, then I'll be doing a long, easy run every weekend until the 10K. I'll be running the actual course on one of those runs, and I'll be running the 10K with someone else from my church who does a lot of running as well. Can't wait for that!

[nickd]

Long time lurker on this thread, first time poster here... wanted to share my progress.

 

Since January I've been following the Couch-to-5k program. It's supposed to be 9 weeks, but I've had lots of interruptions and lack of progress, but I've stuck with it. And I really was starting from scratch (jogging 1 minute at the start felt difficult!).

 

Today, I ran 5km (without stopping) for the first time in my life. On a treadmill at 8.5km/h, so it took me just over 35 minutes (I think that's about 11:22 pace for a mile, as best I can work it out).

 

Now I need to start running outside to make it a little more interesting! We also have regular weekly 'park run' events here where you can turn up and run a timed 5k in an organised group, so doing that is my next target.

 

[Justin Havu]

Well, I ran my first 10K this morning, time was 1:12:15. The course was pretty hilly for the most part, but I took them all fairly slowly, and finished with an average 11:38 pace. Overall, I'm happy with the results. The 5K coming up on Saturday should be a cakewalk.

[Justin Havu]

This was taken last Saturday at a 5K benefiting anencephaly, a disease in which a newborn is born with a large part of the brain missing. The family's baby lived for about 45 minutes before passing on, so four years ago, they started an annual 5K event raising awareness for the disease. My Christian/Worship band was asked to play the event, which we graciously accepted. While we wanted to donate our time, I asked to run the race as well to show my support.

 

[stepay]

Bumping up this topic to crow a little bit as a parent of two high school runners.

 

My daughter continued her ways of running in the 19s for 5k as a high school senior this past cross country season (and she will run in college beginning next fall), and my 14-year-old freshman son ran 16:25 for 5k during the season. I was a very good high school runner, and I didn't run faster than 16:25 until I was a senior, and I was 18 then while he will still be just 17 until after he graduates. He doesn't even shave yet. I thought he MIGHT get into the 17s, but he ran in the 16s 3 times at the end of the season, getting down to that 16:25. Should be room to improve as he matures.

[Joe P]

Stepay, glad to hear your kids are running - fast!

 

Looks like we might have a running family too, eventually. My wife started clicking off 4 and 5 milers with me on our trail this fall with little to no training. I was really impressed, granted she was in the Junior Olympics for hurtle in H.S. but that was 25 years ago. She slows me down, but I am cool with that and it is a great way to spend time together. And actually the slower pace allows us to chat (for a change, we have three kids!). She is fantastic shape and younger than me though, so eventually I'll be the slow one.

 

She is also heavy into karate (black belt likely next year) and I am getting a bunch of dojo people to do a 10K in March called the Run From Winter 10K.

 

My son did a 5K with dojo people, he's 9 and he "won" he says, but man he was wiped out after that!

 

So hopefully we will have a running family too after everything shakes out!

 

Keep Running,

Joe

[stepay]

Stepay, glad to hear your kids are running - fast!

 

Looks like we might have a running family too, eventually. My wife started clicking off 4 and 5 milers with me on our trail this fall with little to no training. I was really impressed, granted she was in the Junior Olympics for hurtle in H.S. but that was 25 years ago. She slows me down, but I am cool with that and it is a great way to spend time together. And actually the slower pace allows us to chat (for a change, we have three kids!). She is fantastic shape and younger than me though, so eventually I'll be the slow one.

 

She is also heavy into karate (black belt likely next year) and I am getting a bunch of dojo people to do a 10K in March called the Run From Winter 10K.

 

My son did a 5K with dojo people, he's 9 and he "won" he says, but man he was wiped out after that!

 

So hopefully we will have a running family too after everything shakes out!

 

Keep Running,

Joe

 

Cool. My experience tells me that those who LOVE running tend to do the best. I've seen a couple of very talented kids in the past who didn't like running and just didn't really improve.

 

My running is on the shelf for now, but I'm enjoying seeing the kids run and especially the progress of my son (only because he's the one with the crazy improvement for now...my daughter already had her breakout season). He ran 5:28 for his PR for the mile on the track in 8th grade and then this fall as a freshman he managed 3.1 miles at 5:16 pace. I'm still a bit shocked. He drops another minute from that time in 4 years, and he's going to get some serious college money from someone. His goal is 15:30 next fall, and then he says he wants to run in the 14s before he graduates. Lofty goal, but time will tell. Not unreasonable for next year with the 15:30 goal. In May after the track season, he ran a 5k and ran 18:52. He then trained all summer with the HS team (new level of training...more mileage, etc.) and begins the season with a 17:47 and then finishes with the 16:25. Now, with the training for indoor, he's up to an 11-mile run, and he plans to get to 65 miles per week in two weeks. Best thing is that he is loving it more than I ever thought he would. He's had three progressively bigger weeks, so I told him he HAS to step it back next week. Gotta make sure injuries don't creep in.

[Dave Ferris]

It's been awhile since I posted here. Nothing too much to shout about except trying to keep everything going at a very reduced level.

 

I just finished my 38th (7.5 weeks) radiation treatment yesterday for the Prostate Cancer. I have 7 to go and will be done on Dec. 31.

 

I was doing pretty good till about 4 weeks into the treatment when I noticed much of my strength (on hills), speed and endurance were greatly reduced.

 

I was still doing my running club Sunday morning runs on the trails up until the 4th week, but soon after, my overall strength and reduced speed made running with anyone on the steep hills, that are a normal part of the trails, pretty much a no go.

 

So I've been bringing my new Potts 29er mtn. bike out and just doing that with the club. I do feel like I'm cheating...everyone's running and I'm on a bike.

 

Also riding the steep Beaudry North trail of the Verdugo Mountains by my house twice a week. That's hard too. I need to take one or two breaks of maybe 90 seconds on the 3 mile climb, which is 2000' in elevation.

 

I did manage a few good runs this week. Ran some short intervals up at the Glendale College track which is a mile from my house. Did 7 X 200s. Couldn't manage 400s at this time.

 

To give you an idea of how slow they were , I normally do them in 39-43 seconds. I did 58,60, 56,56, 55, 54 & 53 seconds. With a 100 meter recovery-50 meter walk and 50 meter jog. The last cool down mile running back to my house was 12:30. It was everything I could do to plod up the last 50 yard hill without walking. The total mileage for that workout was 3.5 miles. It just wiped me out.

 

This morning I ran up the Sunshine/Mt. Tom trail in the Verdugos. 2800' elevation. It was 50 minutes & 3 miles to the top with 3 breaks. And 33 minutes down...not even an 11 minute mile running downhill. But it is what it is. I feel good just to be out there and able to keep things going. I actually surprised myself that I was able to get to the top of Mt .Tom without walking, even though most of it was a shuffle at best.

 

They said I should start feeling more like my old self around Feb. 1. Can't wait till this damn 4 month dose of a Lupron injection I received on Sept. 4 wears off. I know whatever's in that stuff is hampering my efforts too.

 

I can't complain too much though. Could be worse, it could be chemo. In which case I wouldn't be running or biking at all.

 

Still, all that said, I'm working my a** off just to do some semblance of what I've been doing fairly routinely for a long time. The radiation has completely zapped me. Many mornings I feel like I'm 90 years old and 150 lbs overweight. Anything resembling a hill and I go into survival mode.

 

Sure will appreciate my normal level of fitness even more when I get back to snuff.

[Floyd Tatum]

hi, Dave

 

I just saw your post, didn't know you had prostate cancer. That's bad news. Sorry to hear that, I really hope that your radiation treatment gets rid of it.

 

Not sure why I read your post, since I don't run any more, but I used to. Maybe I'm hoping that reading about someone else running will motivate me to get back into it! It's so freaking cold up here in the winter, though (minus 2 Celius right now - that's 28 degrees for you Yanks!) That is TV weather. It's not condusice to running. But for a few years, I used to run through the winters. Maybe in the spring I'll get back into it.

 

[Joe P]

For your next long run, consider strapping on one of these tomato feeding robots:

 

http://bharatpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/tomatan-190215.jpg

 

Not sure how well tomatoes re-fill glycogen stores, but it's worth a try!

 

 

[video:youtube]

 

 

[Josh Paxton]

Just clicked on this thread for the first time. I was on this forum when it started, but I wasn't a runner then; I started last spring. Prior to that I would have said running was my absolute least favorite form of exercise, and exercising was one of my least favorite things to do. But once I got into it and started seeing results, I quickly realized I liked the way I looked and felt much more than I disliked exercising and paying attention to what I ate. So now it's become part of my regular routine. Just earlier this week I set a new PR for distance: 8 miles, at 9:59 average. I'm pretty happy about that.

 

Last month I got a call for a gig that I had been called for a couple times previously, and always turned it down because the time/effort/pay ratio sucked: playing for a Rock and Roll Marathon (where they have live music at every mile along the course). This time I took the gig for the sole reason that my girl was running the race, so I'd be able to play for her when she ran by. But then the day before, I learned that our station was near the end, and since she was only doing the half marathon, she wouldn't see me -- so the whole thing was moot, and I took this shitty gig for nothing.

 

But... I actually found it really inspiring to see all these people going by so close to the finish line (mile 24). Of course the front-runners, with their perfectly-sculpted bodies and their ride-along teams and camera crews, were cool to see, but they obviously had this routine down. The people I found much more inspiring were the ones who came through in the last hour; the ones for whom this was clearly a herculean effort, and way outside their comfort zone, yet they were getting it done anyway.

 

We were playing in shifts with another band, and my band was on break when the very last person came by -- an older woman walking all by herself, with the cop cars and cleanup trucks following right behind her, slooowly. So I yelled to her as she was approaching, "Hey, you know what you call the person who comes in last place in a marathon?" She shrugged her shoulders. I said, "A better athlete than me!", and gave her a big thumbs up. She loved it.

 

So I went home, thought about it for a few days, and then signed up for next year's half marathon. And I told the guy I did the gig with not to bother calling me for it net year, 'cause I already had plans.

[Joe P]

Glad to hear it FKS. The half marathon I did in 2010 (St. Luke's in Allentown, PA) had musicians all along it as well and one band at around mile 5 was ripping through Born to be Wild and man that pumped me up so much!

[Dave Ferris]

So I attempted a track workout this morning at Glendale City College track by my house. Jogged the mile up there for a warmup. Did a pair of 100 meter pickups to get more warm. And then did 4 X 200, 1 X400 , 4 X200 & finished with 1 X 100.

 

The 200s were in the 49-52 second range. The 400 was a blistering 1:54 ... Did walk recoveries between all repeats. I then jogged home the mile. Was pretty spent from the intervals so had to walk part of the way.

 

So just trying to come back and inject some short, quality speed work twice a week, as opposed to just plodding 4-6 miles at 11-12 minute pace.

Also have a short hill a block away from my house - maybe 75 yards - that I've been doing hill repeats (8-12) on in 29-32 seconds. My normal hill for repeats is around 300 meters long. It's too much at this point in time. Hope to work back up to it by the time May 1st hits.

 

The Lupron shot is still hanging on, (now at 6 months for supposedly a 4 month dose injection) , as well as just general residual radiation related stuff. Of course this continues to greatly affect everything - strength, speed, endurance and mood. Basically running is really hard right now, but thankful I can muster enough to do what I'm doing.

 

I'm alternating run days with the Potts 29er MTB, and have still been climbing the steep fireroads in the Verdugo Mountains one or two days a week. If I'm not feeling up to the climb on a particular day, I'll just ride it on the road and hit some parks with dirt trails. I did 18.5 miles yesterday in 1:35 on mixed surfaces. Great fun, with an inspirational bike, from an iconic builder !

 

The LA Marathon is this Sunday and two members from my old running club- Los Feliz Flyers- are running. They are actually known as "Legacy Runners". Which means they've run in every LA since its inception in '85. They both said they are going to make this one the last at # 30. Big Congrats to them.

I think I've done maybe 5 LAs. The last one was 2002. I've definitely retired from Marathons....maybe a Half again someday.

 

When my strength returns , I wouldn't mind trying to train for a 5 or 10K in the fall or early winter. It could be a goal to shoot for. But right now trying to stay with it, get some of the old chops back and keep a positive attitude going, even though I'm___so ____ slow...

[Phred]

Just coming back to this thread and the forum after an absence from it. Good job on all the stories. I like running stories as the tend to be about new beginnings, or return visits...

 

I ran 5K (3.1 miles) today at lunch. Was one of very few outdoor runs this winter. It's been a long and very cold winter... I am very excited for the warmer days.

[Justin Havu]

Still waiting to get outside. I just got a couple pairs of Saucony running shoes that I really want to break in. Maybe in a week or two. Problem right now is if it isn't too cold, it's far too windy.

[Phred]

Too cold to run today. we had three of four nice days and today it's -15C (5F)

 

Who said spring has sprung? Not here

[Joe P]

Ran a 10K race yesterday, great time, a little cold for the first mile but otherwise an awesome day.

 

Last time I ran it in 2010 I was running with the fat-bottomed girls. Yesterday I was with the tiny-hinies so that's an improvement!

 

 

[Dave Ferris]

So I did 8 miles this morning. It was my longest run since Sunday Oct. 26 '14 , which was the end of my first week of the radiation treatments.

 

I had to take a couple of breaks--mostly at the crest of the steep hills going out and coming back. The time was super slow --1:33:47 - which is just a tad over a 11:30 a mile pace. But it's all I can muster at this time. I do feel a little stronger but I can't get the legs to turn over and , again, when I hit any steep hills , I slow way down.

 

But it is what it is --just happy to be out there and able to put in the miles. I hit 21 this week. The highest weekly total of '15.

 

I seem to be on a run-bike-run-bike- every other day schedule right now. The body doesn't seem to want to recover to run consecutive days yet.

 

I'm ok with it because I'm having way too much fun on the new Potts 29er Mtn bike. After yesterday's ride , my odometer showed 992 miles since I brought it back from Point Reyes in early Sept. Been riding both on the trails and road probably 80 to 95 minutes on alternate days during the week. And then a longer ride of 2 hours to 2:30 on the Sat. or Sunday. It's not running, but having a cool bike is as inspirational as having a great piano to practice on..

 

The Lupron shot, which was the precursor to the radiation treatment, is still hanging on. Yesterday it was at 7 months for what was supposed to be a 4 month dose. But the Doc said he's seen the effects last as long as 10-12 months. Sounds like a broken record, but again, I'm certain this is greatly contributing to my weakened state.

[Justin Havu]

First real outdoor workout of the year complete--went for a 30-mile bike ride, followed by a 2.5 mile run. I took it kinda slow for the run, around a 12 min/mile pace, but I wanted very much to enjoy the first real warm and sunny day of the year here in New England.

[Dave Ferris]

I got up to 26.7 miles this week , running 5 days. The highest total of the year. Just finished a 5 miler up at the Glendale College Track. It's a tad over a mile up and then back, and 3 on the track without stopping (it was hard). The times on the track were 10:36, 10: 28 & 10:23..at least I negative split.

 

Had one long (for me) Mtn. bike ride of just under 2 hours on Thursday morning. Traversed the entire Verdugo Mtn. range out to the Burbank forest and back. That ride left my legs in a *dead* state for a few days , so I wasn't able to get up to my current *long run* distance of 8 miles. The run days were -- 5, 6, 4.5 , 6 & 5.2 with one day completely off. Coming back, slowly but surely.

 

And tomorrow morning is the Boston Marathon. One friend is running. He's 10 years younger then me at 51. He said this might be his last as it's getting harder to qualify.

 

I can't believe it's been 20 years since I ran it on April 17, 1995. Out of the three times I ran --'91, '95 and the crazy, overcrowded 100th in '96 -- '95 was my best time at 3:18 :41. Very fond memories of that day.

 

Good luck to all the runners tomorrow !

[Justin Havu]

Did a total of 15 miles last week, ran three days last week--two 6 milers and a 3 miler. I have two 5K's in July a week apart from each other, one on the 11th and one on the 17th. Time to step it up!