I'm enjoying this easy week, because my coach just informed me it's the last one. Training starts up again next week. I'm not sure I'm 100% ready for that - physically, yes, but mentally maybe not. We'll see how it goes.
Yesterday I did 7 miles on the elliptical.
Today I racewalked around Liberty Park; only 6.3K and I was kind of slow, but didn't care :). Ave of 6:18/km with ave HR somewhere in the upper 140s.
Later if I have time I'll hit the treadmill for a bit - I had wanted to walk farther but had to get in to work a little earlier than usual. I might be able to squeeze in a few miles before Kindermusik and figure skating this afternoon.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
nice fast 12K
I'm baaaaack! I feel like I'm well-recovered now. After 10K yesterday I did 12K today (first time walking 2 days in a row since the 50K), and I was pretty fast. Happy! Best of all, nothing is hurting.
I went later than usual because when I woke this morning I was just not in the mood for a walk in the dark and the cold. So, somehow I conned my husband into taking the kids to Costco after church to pick up some items, and I got to go for a walk. Midday. In the sun. In 36F (2.4C). Much better than dark and cold :). Thank you, Loren!
The warm sun agreed with me, I guess. Though I felt a little stiff when I started out, I was nice and fast this morning. I had decided to do 12K before I went, because I know I'll want my mileage base to be a little bigger than it has been when Jim sends me my new schedule, which I suspect will be in a week or two. I don't want to be struggling too much when I start training; it's usually hard to start up again as it is. Anyway, I loosened up after a km or so and was feeling good and worked hard on getting my right knee to come through lower. That's been a problem and in the 50K photos I could tell it was still not right. In addition, my right shin hurt quite a bit after the 50K and I don't want to re-injure the darn thing. So, time for some technique tweaking.
Total time: 1:14:21 for 12K (6:12/km) with ave HR around 150 (HR monitor was spiking at the start, so the 152 in the data is wrong for sure; it might be even a bit lower). Nice.
Garmin connect data here.
***
Other random stuff:
After a little lunch, I took the kids ice skating and practiced my moves for an hour. I'm getting better, but I'm nothing to look at on the ice. I'm lucky when I don't fall flat on my face :).
My dad came over for dinner, since my mom is in Dallas visiting her sister. Dad and I made salmon on the bbq and enjoyed a good visit. It was a very enjoyable afternoon, except for the bad news that my grandma, who has been suffering from Alzheimer's, had to be taken to the hospital. She was released pretty quickly once they determined that she'd had a stroke; with her advanced Alzheimer's there was nothing they could or should do. I'm sad to know that she will probably not be around much longer; still, I'm glad her suffering will be over. Mixed feelings.
I went later than usual because when I woke this morning I was just not in the mood for a walk in the dark and the cold. So, somehow I conned my husband into taking the kids to Costco after church to pick up some items, and I got to go for a walk. Midday. In the sun. In 36F (2.4C). Much better than dark and cold :). Thank you, Loren!
The warm sun agreed with me, I guess. Though I felt a little stiff when I started out, I was nice and fast this morning. I had decided to do 12K before I went, because I know I'll want my mileage base to be a little bigger than it has been when Jim sends me my new schedule, which I suspect will be in a week or two. I don't want to be struggling too much when I start training; it's usually hard to start up again as it is. Anyway, I loosened up after a km or so and was feeling good and worked hard on getting my right knee to come through lower. That's been a problem and in the 50K photos I could tell it was still not right. In addition, my right shin hurt quite a bit after the 50K and I don't want to re-injure the darn thing. So, time for some technique tweaking.
Total time: 1:14:21 for 12K (6:12/km) with ave HR around 150 (HR monitor was spiking at the start, so the 152 in the data is wrong for sure; it might be even a bit lower). Nice.
Garmin connect data here.
***
Other random stuff:
After a little lunch, I took the kids ice skating and practiced my moves for an hour. I'm getting better, but I'm nothing to look at on the ice. I'm lucky when I don't fall flat on my face :).
My dad came over for dinner, since my mom is in Dallas visiting her sister. Dad and I made salmon on the bbq and enjoyed a good visit. It was a very enjoyable afternoon, except for the bad news that my grandma, who has been suffering from Alzheimer's, had to be taken to the hospital. She was released pretty quickly once they determined that she'd had a stroke; with her advanced Alzheimer's there was nothing they could or should do. I'm sad to know that she will probably not be around much longer; still, I'm glad her suffering will be over. Mixed feelings.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
almost 10K
I felt good this morning and was in the mood for a walk, and the weather cooperated. Sure, it was cold (21F, -6C), but it wasn't windy or snowing so I knew I'd be comfortable. If you dress warmly and in layers it's no big deal to walk in the cold, especially for a shorter walk.
I planned on 10K, but I ended up doing 9.8km and that was fine. I felt good and fast for the first 5km and then my lack of racewalking since the 50K caught up with me; I was doing about a 6:09/km pace until then, and then I had to slow down a little. I finished with a 6:20/km pace, which is still decent, so I was happy with that.
I'm thinking I'll walk 12K tomorrow, as the weather is still supposed to be good. I'll have to take it nice & easy, but it's just good to be out walking again and feeling decent.
Garmin connect data here.
I planned on 10K, but I ended up doing 9.8km and that was fine. I felt good and fast for the first 5km and then my lack of racewalking since the 50K caught up with me; I was doing about a 6:09/km pace until then, and then I had to slow down a little. I finished with a 6:20/km pace, which is still decent, so I was happy with that.
I'm thinking I'll walk 12K tomorrow, as the weather is still supposed to be good. I'll have to take it nice & easy, but it's just good to be out walking again and feeling decent.
Garmin connect data here.
Friday, January 27, 2012
busy work week; iffy weather
This was the scene last Sunday when I walked and when it was super slippery. We've had a couple more snows since then and so I've been inside quite a bit this week. It's nice to not be training hard; if the weather is not to my liking I can just do the elliptical. I did the elliptical on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday this week. I took a rest day on Wednesday (slug!), and on Thursday I did racewalk 8.6K. I finally feel like I'm over my cold, and also finally feel like I'm fully recovered from the 50K (at least from what I can tell). The 8.6K racewalk didn't make my legs sore the next day, and it felt fine. Other than losing my second toenail on my right foot (it's not all the way off yet, but it will be soon), I'm feeling good. I'm not mentally ready to start training yet; but my coach said I'd have the rest of January off so I'm guessing I'll have next week to continue my recovery.
I will admit that I've not been eating particularly well, either. However, I seem to have only gained about a pound, which is a relief. I've exercised enough to keep it at bay. Whew. Seriously, though, I shouldn't worry about it, because that pound will come off when I start training again, and I'll eat better too. It's easier for me to eat better when I'm training, oddly enough. Part of that is the fear factor - if I eat too much garbage, I'll have GI problems on my walk the next day, and that's not pleasant. Part of it is just that when I'm training I'm burning more calories so I have a bit more leeway in my diet. I still fit in my small jeans though, so I'm fine.
I haven't posted much this week, mostly because I've been really busy at work this week. Work is going well, so this is not a problem, but I'm glad I'm not training hard right now for that reason too. I'm enjoying the challenges of the job right now, and feel like I'm getting a chance to learn some fascinating new things and work on a very interesting project. I also heard some great talks this week and read a few interesting papers. But it's been busy, and I'm going to have to go in tomorrow morning for a couple hours. But before I do, I'll be sure to get in at least a good 10K of racewalking :). It's supposed to be chilly in the morning (22F) but at least not windy or snowing, so it should be a good morning for a walk.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
exciting day
Today my friend Erin Taylor-Talcott racewalked in the 50K Olympic Trials and turned in a fabulous 4:33:22 time for a new women's American record, and also went down as the 8th fastest woman in history. John Nunn and Tim Seaman dueled it out for 1st and 2nd place, respectively, in 4:04:38 and 4:05:50 (close!!!).
Later, the Giants and 49ers battled it out in overtime. Sadly, the 49ers lost, but what a game!
***
I did manage to squeeze in some workout time this weekend. Saturday I did an hour on the elliptical (8.4 miles), and then did some figure skating practice in the afternoon for about 45 min w/the kids. Today I went out for an easy walk in the morning, thinking to do 10-12km. Nope. It was SUPER icy out there after yesterday's snowstorm. Like a skating rink in most places; some streets were better than others, and Liberty Park was just dreadful. 600 East was not so good, but 800 East was OK. Yeah, I tried them all :). I got in about 8K (5 miles) at a ridiculously slow 6:43/km and that was enough. My glutes were whining, probably because of the awkward technique. Because I felt a bit sore all day, I did another 2 miles on the treadmill this evening to loosen up. It felt good, and it was at a much more reasonable 5.8 mph pace.
Tomorrow I'll either walk or do the elliptical, depending on the weather and my mood. I'm really enjoying some time off of the hard workouts!
Later, the Giants and 49ers battled it out in overtime. Sadly, the 49ers lost, but what a game!
***
I did manage to squeeze in some workout time this weekend. Saturday I did an hour on the elliptical (8.4 miles), and then did some figure skating practice in the afternoon for about 45 min w/the kids. Today I went out for an easy walk in the morning, thinking to do 10-12km. Nope. It was SUPER icy out there after yesterday's snowstorm. Like a skating rink in most places; some streets were better than others, and Liberty Park was just dreadful. 600 East was not so good, but 800 East was OK. Yeah, I tried them all :). I got in about 8K (5 miles) at a ridiculously slow 6:43/km and that was enough. My glutes were whining, probably because of the awkward technique. Because I felt a bit sore all day, I did another 2 miles on the treadmill this evening to loosen up. It felt good, and it was at a much more reasonable 5.8 mph pace.
Tomorrow I'll either walk or do the elliptical, depending on the weather and my mood. I'm really enjoying some time off of the hard workouts!
Friday, January 20, 2012
cross training; 50K awards video
This morning I managed 45 min on the elliptical despite feeling rather ill and not sleeping well last night. Made it through the day at work and the work party on adrenaline...quite tired now.
Wii dance party at the lab party - we hooked up a Wii to the department's portable projector. Great fun!
***
50K award video:
Wii dance party at the lab party - we hooked up a Wii to the department's portable projector. Great fun!
***
50K award video:
Thursday, January 19, 2012
a little better
I'm feeling a bit better. I'm definitely still under the weather but it's not too bad. Whew.
My legs felt shaky this morning but I figured a good walk couldn't hurt. That was partly true. I felt great until 6K, and then it did start to hurt a bit. My legs got tired...more from being sick than from anything else I suspect. My heart rate was uncharacteristically high during the workout this morning (like mid to high 150s) even though I didn't feel I was working that hard. I even stopped at one point and took my pulse manually because I didn't believe the HR monitor, but it was right on. Anyway, I made it through to 10K just fine, though a bit slower than usual with higher HR (ave 155). My Garmin messed up the first 500m somehow (didn't beep it until about 600m on my route!) so I stopped at 9.9k and calculated everything from there. My average pace was 6:20/km and total time was 1:03:18.
My legs felt shaky this morning but I figured a good walk couldn't hurt. That was partly true. I felt great until 6K, and then it did start to hurt a bit. My legs got tired...more from being sick than from anything else I suspect. My heart rate was uncharacteristically high during the workout this morning (like mid to high 150s) even though I didn't feel I was working that hard. I even stopped at one point and took my pulse manually because I didn't believe the HR monitor, but it was right on. Anyway, I made it through to 10K just fine, though a bit slower than usual with higher HR (ave 155). My Garmin messed up the first 500m somehow (didn't beep it until about 600m on my route!) so I stopped at 9.9k and calculated everything from there. My average pace was 6:20/km and total time was 1:03:18.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
catching up
I haven't been blogging...sorry!
Saturday: 45 min elliptical
Sunday: Sooooo nice and warm outside (for January!) at 38F (3C) in the morning. I went out sans fleece and just in tights and a long-sleeved shirt. I did a hilly 8.5K at a 6:19/km pace and felt great. Awesome. I'm recovering well, I think.
Monday: 45 min on the elliptical, and an hour of figure skating practice.
Tuesday: slept a bit late - didn't feel great - so no elliptical, but I did go to my figure skating lesson in the evening and learned some new things: forward edges (inside and out) on S-curves, backward edges on a circle, backward snowplow stops, and more mohawk practice.
Today: I'm not feeling well this morning. Cough, sore throat, and malaise. After making the kids' lunches, I was tired enough that I needed to lie down. I'm skipping the gym. If I feel better later I'll try to skate w/the kids and/or get in some treadmill at home. If not, well, a rest day might be in order. At least I got this AFTER the 50K!
Saturday: 45 min elliptical
Sunday: Sooooo nice and warm outside (for January!) at 38F (3C) in the morning. I went out sans fleece and just in tights and a long-sleeved shirt. I did a hilly 8.5K at a 6:19/km pace and felt great. Awesome. I'm recovering well, I think.
Monday: 45 min on the elliptical, and an hour of figure skating practice.
Tuesday: slept a bit late - didn't feel great - so no elliptical, but I did go to my figure skating lesson in the evening and learned some new things: forward edges (inside and out) on S-curves, backward edges on a circle, backward snowplow stops, and more mohawk practice.
Today: I'm not feeling well this morning. Cough, sore throat, and malaise. After making the kids' lunches, I was tired enough that I needed to lie down. I'm skipping the gym. If I feel better later I'll try to skate w/the kids and/or get in some treadmill at home. If not, well, a rest day might be in order. At least I got this AFTER the 50K!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
more 50K photos
Janet Jones took these great 50K photos. This one is my favorite, as it conveys the joy I felt at the end of the race:
Here are the rest:
Friday, January 13, 2012
more cross-training
After yesterday, I decided that I'm not quite ready to racewalk a lot just yet, so I decided to cross-train again. I was hoping to get some weights in, but again, like on Wednesday, I got up a bit too late and just managed 45 min on the elliptical. I guess I'm allowed a week of slacking after winning the 50K.
***
Was thinking I might go figure skating at lunch time, but alas, I left my pass at home and it would be out of the way to go get it; besides, I ended up attending a very interesting Research In Progress seminar at work instead.
***
Was thinking I might go figure skating at lunch time, but alas, I left my pass at home and it would be out of the way to go get it; besides, I ended up attending a very interesting Research In Progress seminar at work instead.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
8K
I racewalked today! I felt like I could manage at least 6-10K, and went out toward Liberty Park, playing it by ear as to the distance. It was only 16F (-9C) this morning, but there was no snow and it was not windy, so not too bad for January.
I felt pretty good, considering. My right shin is still a bit sore, and I know why it was bothering me during the race --- I am getting in that bad old habit of bringing my knee and hip through too high on that side. I had to work today to keep it low so it wouldn't bother me too much. My glutes are still a little tired, too, but other than that I felt pretty good.
I took it nice and easy, and finished 7.93K in 50:28 for 6:23/km with ave HR 143. Kinda slow, but that's not surprising. I'm going to take another day or 2 off and walk again on the weekend.
Garmin connect data here.
***
Figure skating - I had lessons on Tuesday, and last night (Wednesday night), the kids and Loren and I all went skating to practice. The rink was really crowded and it was challenging to practice, but I just did what I could. We had a pretty good time anyway! I worked on my backward crossovers, mohawks (these are hard and I'm not getting them at all yet!), and progressives.
I felt pretty good, considering. My right shin is still a bit sore, and I know why it was bothering me during the race --- I am getting in that bad old habit of bringing my knee and hip through too high on that side. I had to work today to keep it low so it wouldn't bother me too much. My glutes are still a little tired, too, but other than that I felt pretty good.
I took it nice and easy, and finished 7.93K in 50:28 for 6:23/km with ave HR 143. Kinda slow, but that's not surprising. I'm going to take another day or 2 off and walk again on the weekend.
Garmin connect data here.
***
Figure skating - I had lessons on Tuesday, and last night (Wednesday night), the kids and Loren and I all went skating to practice. The rink was really crowded and it was challenging to practice, but I just did what I could. We had a pretty good time anyway! I worked on my backward crossovers, mohawks (these are hard and I'm not getting them at all yet!), and progressives.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
cross-training again
Today I planned on elliptical and weights. I got up late, and so I just did the elliptical. It's nice to be a bit of a slacker sometimes :). 43 min, 6 miles.
***
My bee sting is finally getting a bit better, which is good news. In other post-race news, my muscles feel good today (I really could have lifted...sigh...) but my 2nd toe on the right foot is still a bit of a mess. It seemed to be somewhat infected today, so I liberally applied H2O2 and triple antibiotic cream plus a bandaid. The blisters from the race were pretty large and the toenail is still pretty sore - reminiscent of the black toenail I had from the Seattle RNR marathon in June '09, so I figure I'm going to lose it. It's really pretty small in the scheme of things, though, and totally worth it!
***
My bee sting is finally getting a bit better, which is good news. In other post-race news, my muscles feel good today (I really could have lifted...sigh...) but my 2nd toe on the right foot is still a bit of a mess. It seemed to be somewhat infected today, so I liberally applied H2O2 and triple antibiotic cream plus a bandaid. The blisters from the race were pretty large and the toenail is still pretty sore - reminiscent of the black toenail I had from the Seattle RNR marathon in June '09, so I figure I'm going to lose it. It's really pretty small in the scheme of things, though, and totally worth it!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
taking it easy
I rested this morning, because I could. I just didn't feel like doing much, so I didn't. My muscles are still sore, though a bit less than yesterday, so I really have no excuse. However, later I am going to figure skating lessons with my kids - all 3 of us are taking lessons - so I will get some exercise today.
***
USATF posted the results of the 50K on its website. Cool. I feel famous!
***
USATF posted the results of the 50K on its website. Cool. I feel famous!
Monday, January 09, 2012
aftermath
Sunday: rest day...travel day...arrived home around noon. Definitely fairly stiff and starting to get sore, but it just feels good somehow :). My 2nd toe on my right foot had a large blister, and the toenail is quite bruised. I might lose it. Oh, I guess it wasn't a TOTAL rest day, as I took a little hike (about 40 minutes) with my mom, nice and easy. It helped me stay loose. The weather was quite cold and there is still snow from the snowstorm on Saturday (which I'm happy to say I missed!). Welcome back to winter...
Monday: Woke up stiff and quite sore, especially in the arms. My legs are sore too, mostly in glutes, hammies, and adductors, though also in the right shin and calf. Toward the end of the race my right shin (the one I injured in the spring) was really feeling it, but it's apparently OK despite the abuse. I think it's a technique thing - I'm still overstriding a smidge w/my right leg and bringing my right knee and hip through a bit too high. I will have to work on that. Anyway, I decided that a little bit of elliptical this morning would loosen things up, so I did 6.4 miles on the elliptical in 45 min, and then did some core work with Lisa and then some stretching. It all felt great, actually, and I would say that my soreness is relatively minor. It feels like I just had a pretty good total-body weightlifting session.
The bee sting is actually more noticeable than the muscle soreness. I took this photo this morning, and if anything it's more swollen now; it's itchy too.
Monday: Woke up stiff and quite sore, especially in the arms. My legs are sore too, mostly in glutes, hammies, and adductors, though also in the right shin and calf. Toward the end of the race my right shin (the one I injured in the spring) was really feeling it, but it's apparently OK despite the abuse. I think it's a technique thing - I'm still overstriding a smidge w/my right leg and bringing my right knee and hip through a bit too high. I will have to work on that. Anyway, I decided that a little bit of elliptical this morning would loosen things up, so I did 6.4 miles on the elliptical in 45 min, and then did some core work with Lisa and then some stretching. It all felt great, actually, and I would say that my soreness is relatively minor. It feels like I just had a pretty good total-body weightlifting session.
The bee sting is actually more noticeable than the muscle soreness. I took this photo this morning, and if anything it's more swollen now; it's itchy too.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
50K race report
The John Evans National 50K racewalk gets its name from the late John Evans. Here's his obituary, from the racewalking yahoo group:
John Evans died Wednesday (June 1, 2005) in Titusville, Florida at the age of
85. John established Houston's race walking community, the oldest continuous race
walking program in the southern United States, in 1975 with the first of over
100 meets he would direct. A national-class race walker before serving in the
Army in World War II, John didn't return to competition until he began distance
running in Houston in the late 1960's. Upon the urging of other local runners,
he began conducting race walk events and giving free instruction to anyone
interested. John himself set numerous national age records before retiring from
competition in the 1990's. He served ten years as local committee chair for race
walking in the Amateur Athletic Union and the subsequent governing body, The
Athletics Congress.
Race morning dawned partly cloudy, warm and humid at about 60F (15C). It was a bit foggy here and there on the drive to the park where the race was held. I was privileged to have my friend Maryann (that I'd only known on Facebook up until now) meet me at the airport Friday and also drive me to and from the race and everywhere else I needed to go on Saturday (notably, dinner!). She was amazing, keeping me calm with her lively personality and her infectious enthusiasm for the race.
It was still dark when we arrived at the race site at 6:30 am. I set out my nutrition on the designated table: 6 gels, zipfizz, water, and small bottles to drink zipfizz, water, and gatorade (supplied by the race) out of. I find it tricky to drink out of cups and the bottles are better. What a luxury to have a loop course where I don't have to carry my own bottles, and where there are incredible volunteers (Conrad & Karen from Portland were wonderful - Karen is a 50K National Champion from 2009, so she totally gets it!) to help you with your aid.
After I set out my nutrition, I warmed up. Yeah, I don't usually do that before a marathon, but this was a judged walk and my coach said a 500m-1km warm-up was a good idea to get the neuromuscular system firing on all cylinders. You certainly do NOT want to get a red card right out of the gate in a 50k race! I did a short 4-minute warm-up at a 6:17/km pace and felt that was enough. I was as ready as I was going to be. After one last pre-race pit stop (no lines! how nice!), it was time to get going.
The race started a little late (10 min?) as they were setting out the timing mat, etc. There were 6 of us doing the 50K. Men: Omar Nash from Ohio and Bruce (?last name?) from Houston. Women: me, Katie Grimes (Portland, OR), Darlene Backlund (Palm Springs, CA) and Sherry Watts (London, Ontario, Canada). There was also a 5K race (at 8 am) with quite a few walkers, including some young guys, and a 20K race (at 9 am) with a good number of walkers as well. But at the start the course was quiet, with just the footsteps of the 6 of us.
The gun went off, and Omar surged to the front (he wanted a sub-5hr race), with Katie, Bruce, and I right behind. Katie and I walked together for almost 20K, when she pulled in front of me a bit, as her watch insistently beeped every lap letting her know she was slightly behind her goal pace. I'm not sure what lap time she had it set for; probably about 7:22-7:25 per lap? For my part, I wanted to quickly settle in to a 7:29-7:30/lap pace (6:20/km) and hold that until the real race started at 35k. My coach says a 50K race starts at 35K, and he's definitely right about that one. Until then, you just try to walk smart (i.e. do NOT go out too fast!) and conserve as much energy as possible.
It was certainly nice to have company at the start, though Katie and I didn't chat too much to save energy. We did talk a little, chatting about Portland-to-Coast since we're on the same mixed masters (men & women over age 40) team for the race in August this year. We also commented about other stuff, like the cop sitting in his car on the course who was smoking (!) and wafting the carcinogens our way every lap. It was a closed loop and they could keep the traffic out at the other end, so I'm not sure why he was parked there to begin with?
I had expected that Katie would walk faster than me at the start, as that's what she usually does. It was good to have company, but it was also a bit awkward for settling into my pace, as the road was not super wide and I wanted to cut the tangents and didn't want to spend energy to pass her unnecessarily. For the most part, she was ahead of me in the beginning, though I did lead for a few laps. Still, it was hard to get settled in, and our pace was a little irregular, though by 15-20K we did settle in a bit more.
Around 20K, Katie moved ahead and I was enjoying my pace and comfortable with my 7:30 laps so I let her go. I was still feeling quite good at 20K, which was a relief, as I knew then that the early pace (slightly faster than what I had planned, though pretty close) had been all right. At 25K there was a little excitement, as I wondered if I'd hit American record time for W40-44; the race director was awesome and had the requisite 3 watches on us for all the 5K splits at 25K onward (except 45K, which is not a record distance). However, I was about a minute off the record, which was fine with me as I can get it some other time when I'm not racing to 50K! The 30K and 40K records are considerably faster than the 25K record, so then I was only shooting for the 50K record of 5:30:35, set in 1988 by Jeannie Bocci (who was ranked by the Ohio Racewalker as 3rd in the country at the 10K distance in her prime, in 1981).
By 30K I was feeling tired but not too bad. I figured I could keep the pace for a while longer. At this point, Katie was as much as 25-30 sec in front of me (I would time from where she was until I got to that point), but with 20K to go that is not much of a cushion so I wasn't too worried. I figured I'd wait for her to tire and pass her when I got a chance later in the race. Meanwhile, I focused on maintaining my pace and keeping even splits as much as I could.
At 35K, Katie still had a good lead on me, and everyone's legs were surely tiring. Mine were, but I had plenty to keep my splits at 7:30 or below, and knew there was another gear when I needed it. Every time we passed the aid stations and the race announcer (A.C. Jaime, a great guy!), he cheered us both on, and kept telling me not to let Katie go. I kind of chuckled inwardly, as I didn't mind her having a small lead at this point. Only 15K to go now!
With 10K to go, I knew it would soon be time to make a move if I was going to. I wanted to wait until I was sure I would have enough for a convincing pass and to finish the race strong enough to hold Katie off if possible, so I held on for a few more km. I reached 42.2km (the marathon distance) somewhere around 4:27, and I was pretty happy with that for the flat course with little shade and a hot day. I have neglected to mention the weather again, but it was partly sunny and warming up fast; by race end it was sunny and 75F. Each lap at the end, Conrad would hand me a cup full of ice-cold water and tell me to pour it over my head. The bracing cold felt amazing and somehow kept me cool enough to keep the pace. It was great!
Right about the time I got to 42km I felt it was time to put on the gas. I sped up, doing a 7:14 lap followed by a 7:19 lap, passing Katie as convincingly as I could. I got two cautions (but not red cards) from two different judges for lifting at this point! I heard her footsteps close behind for a while, then they faded a bit, and then mysteriously I couldn't hear them at all. The park loop was such that I could see across to where she was, and after I pulled off a 7:29 lap I could see that she was about half a loop (600m) behind me. I wondered what had happened (found out later she'd had to stop for the bathroom) but knew that with just 4.3 laps left I had a good shot at winning the race now. I could not keep the pace any more and slowed a bit, but held on for dear life with my HR soaring into the mid-160s by race end. Those last 4 laps were agonizingly difficult at 7:35, 7:39, 7:44, and 7:41. I gritted my teeth and was SO determined to hold on; you can see it in the pictures here. My sister-in-law showed up near race end and took a bunch of great photos, and Maryann also took all the wonderful early photos with my camera. Thanks to both of them for the amazing shots!
At the very end my legs were so tired that I was really worried about holding my form, and though I was tempted slightly to do the last bit fast, I didn't want to risk getting disqualified at this point! And I was so tired that I just wanted to be done...so I just held on, and finished the race in 5:16:20, setting a new American record. I actually was sobbing with joy at the finish for accomplishing my goal. I held on to a very nice guy named Bob Cella (spelling?) to keep from falling over as I walked it off and cheered Katie in to the finish.
Post-race there was some seriously good bbq, which I ate about 45 min afterward when I was finally hungry. I also got stung on the finger by a bee while just sitting there talking on the phone w/my husband; I'm somewhat sensitive to bee stings so a kind EMT gave me some Benadryl, and it was just fine. I didn't swell up too much, thankfully.
The awards were later, after Darlene and Sherry finished, and the plaque is amazing - it's beautiful and big - see the pictures.
Garmin connect data here.
John Evans died Wednesday (June 1, 2005) in Titusville, Florida at the age of
85. John established Houston's race walking community, the oldest continuous race
walking program in the southern United States, in 1975 with the first of over
100 meets he would direct. A national-class race walker before serving in the
Army in World War II, John didn't return to competition until he began distance
running in Houston in the late 1960's. Upon the urging of other local runners,
he began conducting race walk events and giving free instruction to anyone
interested. John himself set numerous national age records before retiring from
competition in the 1990's. He served ten years as local committee chair for race
walking in the Amateur Athletic Union and the subsequent governing body, The
Athletics Congress.
Race morning dawned partly cloudy, warm and humid at about 60F (15C). It was a bit foggy here and there on the drive to the park where the race was held. I was privileged to have my friend Maryann (that I'd only known on Facebook up until now) meet me at the airport Friday and also drive me to and from the race and everywhere else I needed to go on Saturday (notably, dinner!). She was amazing, keeping me calm with her lively personality and her infectious enthusiasm for the race.
It was still dark when we arrived at the race site at 6:30 am. I set out my nutrition on the designated table: 6 gels, zipfizz, water, and small bottles to drink zipfizz, water, and gatorade (supplied by the race) out of. I find it tricky to drink out of cups and the bottles are better. What a luxury to have a loop course where I don't have to carry my own bottles, and where there are incredible volunteers (Conrad & Karen from Portland were wonderful - Karen is a 50K National Champion from 2009, so she totally gets it!) to help you with your aid.
After I set out my nutrition, I warmed up. Yeah, I don't usually do that before a marathon, but this was a judged walk and my coach said a 500m-1km warm-up was a good idea to get the neuromuscular system firing on all cylinders. You certainly do NOT want to get a red card right out of the gate in a 50k race! I did a short 4-minute warm-up at a 6:17/km pace and felt that was enough. I was as ready as I was going to be. After one last pre-race pit stop (no lines! how nice!), it was time to get going.
The race started a little late (10 min?) as they were setting out the timing mat, etc. There were 6 of us doing the 50K. Men: Omar Nash from Ohio and Bruce (?last name?) from Houston. Women: me, Katie Grimes (Portland, OR), Darlene Backlund (Palm Springs, CA) and Sherry Watts (London, Ontario, Canada). There was also a 5K race (at 8 am) with quite a few walkers, including some young guys, and a 20K race (at 9 am) with a good number of walkers as well. But at the start the course was quiet, with just the footsteps of the 6 of us.
The gun went off, and Omar surged to the front (he wanted a sub-5hr race), with Katie, Bruce, and I right behind. Katie and I walked together for almost 20K, when she pulled in front of me a bit, as her watch insistently beeped every lap letting her know she was slightly behind her goal pace. I'm not sure what lap time she had it set for; probably about 7:22-7:25 per lap? For my part, I wanted to quickly settle in to a 7:29-7:30/lap pace (6:20/km) and hold that until the real race started at 35k. My coach says a 50K race starts at 35K, and he's definitely right about that one. Until then, you just try to walk smart (i.e. do NOT go out too fast!) and conserve as much energy as possible.
It was certainly nice to have company at the start, though Katie and I didn't chat too much to save energy. We did talk a little, chatting about Portland-to-Coast since we're on the same mixed masters (men & women over age 40) team for the race in August this year. We also commented about other stuff, like the cop sitting in his car on the course who was smoking (!) and wafting the carcinogens our way every lap. It was a closed loop and they could keep the traffic out at the other end, so I'm not sure why he was parked there to begin with?
I had expected that Katie would walk faster than me at the start, as that's what she usually does. It was good to have company, but it was also a bit awkward for settling into my pace, as the road was not super wide and I wanted to cut the tangents and didn't want to spend energy to pass her unnecessarily. For the most part, she was ahead of me in the beginning, though I did lead for a few laps. Still, it was hard to get settled in, and our pace was a little irregular, though by 15-20K we did settle in a bit more.
Around 20K, Katie moved ahead and I was enjoying my pace and comfortable with my 7:30 laps so I let her go. I was still feeling quite good at 20K, which was a relief, as I knew then that the early pace (slightly faster than what I had planned, though pretty close) had been all right. At 25K there was a little excitement, as I wondered if I'd hit American record time for W40-44; the race director was awesome and had the requisite 3 watches on us for all the 5K splits at 25K onward (except 45K, which is not a record distance). However, I was about a minute off the record, which was fine with me as I can get it some other time when I'm not racing to 50K! The 30K and 40K records are considerably faster than the 25K record, so then I was only shooting for the 50K record of 5:30:35, set in 1988 by Jeannie Bocci (who was ranked by the Ohio Racewalker as 3rd in the country at the 10K distance in her prime, in 1981).
By 30K I was feeling tired but not too bad. I figured I could keep the pace for a while longer. At this point, Katie was as much as 25-30 sec in front of me (I would time from where she was until I got to that point), but with 20K to go that is not much of a cushion so I wasn't too worried. I figured I'd wait for her to tire and pass her when I got a chance later in the race. Meanwhile, I focused on maintaining my pace and keeping even splits as much as I could.
At 35K, Katie still had a good lead on me, and everyone's legs were surely tiring. Mine were, but I had plenty to keep my splits at 7:30 or below, and knew there was another gear when I needed it. Every time we passed the aid stations and the race announcer (A.C. Jaime, a great guy!), he cheered us both on, and kept telling me not to let Katie go. I kind of chuckled inwardly, as I didn't mind her having a small lead at this point. Only 15K to go now!
With 10K to go, I knew it would soon be time to make a move if I was going to. I wanted to wait until I was sure I would have enough for a convincing pass and to finish the race strong enough to hold Katie off if possible, so I held on for a few more km. I reached 42.2km (the marathon distance) somewhere around 4:27, and I was pretty happy with that for the flat course with little shade and a hot day. I have neglected to mention the weather again, but it was partly sunny and warming up fast; by race end it was sunny and 75F. Each lap at the end, Conrad would hand me a cup full of ice-cold water and tell me to pour it over my head. The bracing cold felt amazing and somehow kept me cool enough to keep the pace. It was great!
Right about the time I got to 42km I felt it was time to put on the gas. I sped up, doing a 7:14 lap followed by a 7:19 lap, passing Katie as convincingly as I could. I got two cautions (but not red cards) from two different judges for lifting at this point! I heard her footsteps close behind for a while, then they faded a bit, and then mysteriously I couldn't hear them at all. The park loop was such that I could see across to where she was, and after I pulled off a 7:29 lap I could see that she was about half a loop (600m) behind me. I wondered what had happened (found out later she'd had to stop for the bathroom) but knew that with just 4.3 laps left I had a good shot at winning the race now. I could not keep the pace any more and slowed a bit, but held on for dear life with my HR soaring into the mid-160s by race end. Those last 4 laps were agonizingly difficult at 7:35, 7:39, 7:44, and 7:41. I gritted my teeth and was SO determined to hold on; you can see it in the pictures here. My sister-in-law showed up near race end and took a bunch of great photos, and Maryann also took all the wonderful early photos with my camera. Thanks to both of them for the amazing shots!
At the very end my legs were so tired that I was really worried about holding my form, and though I was tempted slightly to do the last bit fast, I didn't want to risk getting disqualified at this point! And I was so tired that I just wanted to be done...so I just held on, and finished the race in 5:16:20, setting a new American record. I actually was sobbing with joy at the finish for accomplishing my goal. I held on to a very nice guy named Bob Cella (spelling?) to keep from falling over as I walked it off and cheered Katie in to the finish.
Post-race there was some seriously good bbq, which I ate about 45 min afterward when I was finally hungry. I also got stung on the finger by a bee while just sitting there talking on the phone w/my husband; I'm somewhat sensitive to bee stings so a kind EMT gave me some Benadryl, and it was just fine. I didn't swell up too much, thankfully.
The awards were later, after Darlene and Sherry finished, and the plaque is amazing - it's beautiful and big - see the pictures.
Garmin connect data here.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
John Evans National 50K racewalk
In brief - no time now to post more - just the results and my Garmin data for my coach.
1. Tammy Stevenson 5:16:20, new American Record (old one was 5:30:35 by Jeannie Bocci, set in 1988), and a PR (this was my first 50K, so it is automatically a PR).
2. Katie Grimes 5:19:52
3. Darlene Backlund about 6:45
4. Sherry Watts - don't know her time, sorry
I'm ecstatic!
Garmin connect data here.
1. Tammy Stevenson 5:16:20, new American Record (old one was 5:30:35 by Jeannie Bocci, set in 1988), and a PR (this was my first 50K, so it is automatically a PR).
2. Katie Grimes 5:19:52
3. Darlene Backlund about 6:45
4. Sherry Watts - don't know her time, sorry
I'm ecstatic!
Garmin connect data here.
Friday, January 06, 2012
15 min easy w/strides
This morning before catching the plane I did 15 min easy w/strides. It was 25F (-4C) and calm. Quite a contrast to Houston, where the high was 77F today. It's warm and humid here, which will make things interesting.
I loved getting to finally meet Maryann, who picked me up at the airport. I also met MJ Baglin from Reno, and sat at dinner with those two plus the other 50K women: Katie Grimes, Darlene Backlund, and Sherry Watts.
Time to get some sleep. Everything is as ready as it's going to be.
I loved getting to finally meet Maryann, who picked me up at the airport. I also met MJ Baglin from Reno, and sat at dinner with those two plus the other 50K women: Katie Grimes, Darlene Backlund, and Sherry Watts.
Time to get some sleep. Everything is as ready as it's going to be.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
cross-training
Today was a cross-training day. I did 6 miles on the elliptical in 42 min and then called it quits because I had to take the kids to school and get to work. The elliptical workout went just fine; however, I'm feeling a bit sleepy now. I didn't go to bed quite early enough last night. That will have to change tonight.
I leave for Houston early tomorrow morning, after I do a 15-min easy racewalk with some strides. Loren and the kids will stay home and hold down the fort while I'm gone.
I leave for Houston early tomorrow morning, after I do a 15-min easy racewalk with some strides. Loren and the kids will stay home and hold down the fort while I'm gone.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
8K fartlek - 14 second PR!
I liked last week when I got to work out in the daylight. But, we're back to work and school and all that good stuff, so it was out to the track for a dark 8K fartlek. The weather wasn't bad for Jan 4th though: 25F (-4C) and calm. I warmed up and felt smooth and fast today. I did 1600m in 9:55 and then some dynamic stretches. Then I tossed off my fleece jacket (didn't need it - just the long-sleeved shirt and tights with shorts and T-shirt underneath was enough, along with gloves and hat) and got started before I could get cold. I surprised myself with the first 1km in 5:24, and I felt great. Nice. When my first 500m medium effort was a 2:54 and my first 500m hard effort was 2:43, I knew it would be a great day. It was. I got to 5K in 28:04, just 6 sec shy of my 5K fartlek PR, and feeling strong. 8K came at 45:15, 14 seconds faster than my previous PR for an 8K fartlek. I felt really strong on the last 500m hard effort, doing it in 2:43! All my hard efforts were 2:43-2:46, and my medium efforts were 2:54-2:59. Very nice. I feel very confident and ready to take on the 50K.
Total for 8K: 45:15, 5:39/km (9:06/mile) with ave HR just 159. I was working hard, but the HR was not as high as it was on Saturday for the 10K fartlek.
Afterward, I went to the gym and did core exercises with Lisa. After the 50K I'm going to get back to some serious lifting again to stay strong for upcoming races :).
Garmin connect data here
***
Also, a HUGE shout-out to my mom, who reached her goal today in Weight Watchers. I forgot to ask her what her total is, but it's in the neighborhood of 35 pounds, and she looks FANTASTIC! Way to go, mom!!!!!
Total for 8K: 45:15, 5:39/km (9:06/mile) with ave HR just 159. I was working hard, but the HR was not as high as it was on Saturday for the 10K fartlek.
Afterward, I went to the gym and did core exercises with Lisa. After the 50K I'm going to get back to some serious lifting again to stay strong for upcoming races :).
Garmin connect data here
***
Also, a HUGE shout-out to my mom, who reached her goal today in Weight Watchers. I forgot to ask her what her total is, but it's in the neighborhood of 35 pounds, and she looks FANTASTIC! Way to go, mom!!!!!
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
cross-training
Got up and did 45 min on the elliptical (about 6.3 miles) this morning. My stomach still seems to be a bit "off". I can eat, but I have to be careful what and how much. Michelle said her stomach hurt this morning and so we let her stay home, but we told her she had to stay in bed and read or sleep. By 10:30 she was either better or bored or something so off to school she went.
Less than 72 hr until I leave for Houston!
Less than 72 hr until I leave for Houston!
Monday, January 02, 2012
10K
Saturday night I was pretty miserable - nauseated and could hardly eat. Ditto for Sunday morning, though by last night I was definitely feeling a bit better. Needless to say, I took a rest day yesterday.
My stomach is feeling better today. I'm still a little weak, and have to be careful how much I eat, but I woke feeling up to at least attempting the planned 10K. Such a short little easy workout - but not so much when you are coming off being ill. Still, it wasn't so bad.
The weather was OK for this time of year, at 23F (-5C) and calm and clear. I've actually really lucked out with the weather for my 50K training this year - it's been unusually dry in December, which has helped out a lot. I've only had to take a few workouts inside.
I started off feeling pretty decent. I was a little stiff/sore from the combination of Saturday's hard 10K fartlek and Sunday's lying around in bed, but I started off OK. However, by 3K I was noticing my tired legs, and I just knew I had to keep it nice and easy and not push too hard. Time didn't matter on this one, just getting it done. By 5K I was more tired, but I got a little bit of a second wind and was able to cruise to the end, slowing yes, but not too badly. I could really feel how my training kept me going when my body was tired, which was a good feeling.
Total time: 1:03:16 for 6:20/km (10:11/mile) with ave HR 144.
Garmin connect data here.
My stomach is feeling better today. I'm still a little weak, and have to be careful how much I eat, but I woke feeling up to at least attempting the planned 10K. Such a short little easy workout - but not so much when you are coming off being ill. Still, it wasn't so bad.
The weather was OK for this time of year, at 23F (-5C) and calm and clear. I've actually really lucked out with the weather for my 50K training this year - it's been unusually dry in December, which has helped out a lot. I've only had to take a few workouts inside.
I started off feeling pretty decent. I was a little stiff/sore from the combination of Saturday's hard 10K fartlek and Sunday's lying around in bed, but I started off OK. However, by 3K I was noticing my tired legs, and I just knew I had to keep it nice and easy and not push too hard. Time didn't matter on this one, just getting it done. By 5K I was more tired, but I got a little bit of a second wind and was able to cruise to the end, slowing yes, but not too badly. I could really feel how my training kept me going when my body was tired, which was a good feeling.
Total time: 1:03:16 for 6:20/km (10:11/mile) with ave HR 144.
Garmin connect data here.
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