2011 Yearly Archive

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17 May 2011

A Lake to Myself

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Posted in Blaine's Running Journal | 1 Comment

Distance: 7.30km Time: 1:00 Pace: 7’48 kCal: 768 Heart: NA RPE: 5 Type: 3 Miles


Today was my recovery run after running the Pasadena on Sunday.

No heart rate on this run because my battery died just before the Pasadena race.

Anyway, I woke up at 5:30 and struggled with the idea of getting out of bed because it was cold, dark, cloudy, and wet outside. Was it raining? It never rains in ‘Sunny’ Southern California.

 

But come to think of it, it did on Sunday and it even did it the week before for on my only run! Somebody or something is out there taking its revenge on me!

But I like the rain, I like the overcast, it’s not hot. It’s perfect for a morning run. I just try and not worry about getting lost in a flash flood or drowning in a puddle. It’s amazing what positive thinking can do! So….

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17 May 2011

Temecula 10k Race Report – The Vineyards

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Posted in Blaine's Running Journal, Racing Recaps | 1 Comment

Distance: 10.29km Time: 1:15 Pace: 7’22 kCal: 1187 Heart: 148/176 RPE: 7 Type: 10k Race


Okay okay – so this race report is over a week late!
Last week was a hectic week and it took everything I got just to stay on top of my work.

Honestly, I don’t know how all you bloggers and twitter gurus have time to run, read, write and tweet!

But don’t you just love WordPress?
I can simply change the date, back and everything is perfect… or am I supposed to do that?

Yeah – I know…
I’m supposed to write ahead of time and that way, everything is automatically posted.
One day… one day…

It’s like when I used to have the lab report already written up before going into the biochem lab and just fill in the numbers.

But I digress.
This is about running, not my previous years at University.
So where was I?

Oh yes, a race report about the cool run I had in the wine fields. Read on…

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17 May 2011

Week 4 – Twisted my Ankle

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Posted in Blaine's Weekly Review | 1 Comment


I don’t know how people can do it. My runs at the moment are very small and I’m still just starting on my Marathon training. But I’m finding it hard to get the time in to do my runs and to eat properly (and to eat at the right hours).

This last week I had little sleep due to a few 4-hour travel days jumping between Irvine and San Diego – leaving early, returning late, and then doing more work in the wee hours of the morning. But when I need to work, I work. I know I’ll be able get my runs in, it’s not a question of priority, simply organizational skills and multitasking. To complicate matters, I sprained my ankle mid-week getting into a cab at the train station. I’m such a clutz!

So while I had a great run on Monday in the rain, it ended up being my only run for the week!

Then I was hoping to get out Friday morning, but took the advice of fellow runners and skipped it. Saturday morning, I went down to the boardwalk around Newport Pier and did a few little 2 to 5 minute easy jogs to see how my ankle was.

My ankle seemed pretty good and of course it was raining; when the rest of the week it was nice, I might add!
But I had the running-itch to get out, especially when taking the train back from San Diego. I could see all the runners out along the beach trials an hour before sunset. I was like a puppy dog staring out the window wanting to go out and play.

Hmmm… I marked those places on the map, so I plan to check them out in the following weeks. So that’s it, not too exciting for a week of training. Total miles for the week, including the Pasadena10k – 14 miles.

I’m hoping that next week will be a ‘normal’ training week.

10 May 2011

Week 3 – I wasn’t all there

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Posted in Blaine's Weekly Review | Comments Off on Week 3 – I wasn’t all there


I did okay this week, but ended up skipping one day because I had the Temecula 10k race coming up for my long run.

Monday was the rest day (from Sunday’s race), then I did my 3 miles on Tuesday and 4 miles on Thursday. I rested Friday and did the Temecula 10k race on Saturday. But I almost missed my Thursday run due to work and ended up running those miles in the evening – finishing just after sunset.

I must admit that I prefer running in the mornings. Thursday evening, I did my miles, but I just wasn’t all there. And looking back on it now, it really seems as though I only did one good run this last week (which was on Tuesday). The long run in Temecula was actually very brutal. You can tell how it scarred me, because I’ve linked to it 3 times in this post!

So it wasn’t a typical training week for me and the total mileage ended up being 15 miles. The good thing is that I get to repeat it again (with out Temecula*) next week.

* See… I linked 4 times! Very scarred!!!

06 May 2011

Yikes! Tomorrow’s 10K – is it too soon?

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Posted in Blaine's Running Journal, Various Posts | 2 Comments

Distance: 8.13km Time: 1:00 Pace: 7’34 kCal: 971 Heart: 138/154 RPE: 6/7 Type: 4 Miles


Yike’s, I’m getting cold feet. Not good for a runner – get it…? Cold f-e-e-t…?
Okay, enough with the jokes, but I must admit that I am getting nervous.

Tomorrow is my Temecula Run Through the Vineyard’s 10k race. Last week was the 10k in Irvine and that was HOT! Tomorrow’s going to be even hotter. Plus, there are hills. Lots ‘n lots of them.

This will be my first 10k race outside my comfort zone. But that’s positive stress, right?

 

To top it off, I did my 4 mile run in the evening yesterday – just before sunset.
I felt as though I was breathing harder and moving slower. But at the end of the run, when I looked at my splits, I saw that everything was where is should be. 5k in 33 min and 4 miles under 7 min/km. But the cool-down after was very welcomed!

Hmmm… I think my mind is playing tricks on me again.

Then again, my butt is sore (I sprinted up the hills) and my knee is not too happy with me right now. I know that once I get into the groove (or is that grove – as in wine grove?), I’ll start getting warmed up and the knee will be happy again.

But for now, I’m still stressing out about tomorrow’s run. Maybe I should do some wine tasting before the race? Yikes, here I go again! Is it too soon? I know I’m committed, but if I can just get my brain to focus on the good…

Hmmm…  let’s see, time for a table to collect my thoughts…

Bad Good
too hot and sunny a nice country atmosphere with lots of cool people
tripping on a vine trail running between the vineyards
limping to the finish line getting a great photo (like the one from last week down below)
a long way to travel for a race it’s really not that far – only an hour drive, besides…
wine tasting after the event and a casino nearby
I could become a millionaire! 

There we go, positive thinking…
Now I’m focusing on the good – right?

Well, we’ll see how it goes.

For now, it’s time to immerse my thoughts into my bowl of pasta!

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03 May 2011

Cinco de Mayo 10k Race Report

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Posted in Blaine's Running Journal, Racing Recaps | 3 Comments

Distance: 10.07km Time: 1:09 Pace: 6’51 kCal: 971 Heart: 146/166 RPE: 6 Type: 10k Race


Last Sunday I ran the Cinco de Mayo 10k event Reaching for the Cure.
This was the first 10k race towards my marathon training, and I must admit that while it wasn’t the dream race I thought it would be, it was a great learning experience.

If you want to get the point-form of what I learned, scroll down to the bottom. But if you want to see some cool pictures and learn more, read on…

 

The Day before the big race

Yup – it all starts the day before. Why? Because I was so excited! The OC Marathon was happening on the same day as my race (Sunday) and that meant a really cool Health Expo with lots of great stuff.
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02 May 2011

Week 2 – Work vs Training

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Posted in Blaine's Weekly Review | Comments Off on Week 2 – Work vs Training


Week Two is done.
I took an extra rest day and skipped Monday’s run due to a toothache.
The goal was to actually push everything over by one day.

3 miles – Tuesday
4 miles – Wednesday
3 miles – Friday
6 miles – Sunday (10k race)

Tuesday worked out great. Wednesday came by and I was a little stiff. So I ended up missing my morning run and started work early. The plan was to run in the evening, but I worked late into the night and come Thursday morning, after just 4 hours of sleep, I was at work again before 7am. I really wanted to get out there and do a few laps around the reservoir, but with deadlines approaching the demand was too great to sneak in an hour of exercise.

I did manage to keep up with some cross-training. Just simple pushups, sit-ups, and flex exercise that I can do here and there. I think I over did it on the sit-ups, though. For two days I had trouble getting out of bed!

So when Friday came, I got up extra extra early and headed down to the beach to do my 4 miles. The great part was that everything was done and completed way before work started at 9am. Saturday I took it easy with a nice walk and went to the health expo. Then Sunday I did the 10k race in Irvine.

So once again, my work took precedence over my training. I missed the second 3 mile run, but my walk on Saturday offset that a little. I could have run, but I didn’t want to over do it the day before my race. I know I just need to get more organized.

More organized? Well… week three is a tricky week too.
It’s a short week because Saturday is going to be the Temecula 10k. So I won’t hit my mileage for this week either, but that’s okay. The next few weeks I’m sticky with my 343-6 pattern of 16 miles. I’ve a few more 10k races I want to do this month. So by the time I’m all done, I’ll have completed a few 16 mile running weeks. By then, I should be more organized and able to juggle my Work and Training schedules.

For now, here is my planned schedule for week 3

Sunday 10k race Irvine
Monday rest
Tuesday 3 mile run / 2 mile walk
Wednesday rest
Thursday 4 mile run / 2 mile walk
Friday rest / walk 5 miles
Saturday 10k race Temecula

 

29 Apr 2011

TGIF Street Sweepers have Right-of-Way

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Posted in Blaine's Running Journal | 3 Comments

Distance: 9.96km Time: 1:08 Pace: 7’19 kCal: 985 Heart: 124/140 RPE: 4-5 Type: 4 Miles


I spent long frustrated hours at work this week and for the last two nights ended up going to sleep well after midnight.

But come today, I was up again at 5am and excited to get out and have a fun little 4 mile run, followed by a one mile walk.

I even got my wife out of bed.

 

That was a great start, but how did I know that the adventure was only just about to begin…

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26 Apr 2011

Week 1 – Week One Complete

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Posted in Blaine's Weekly Review | 4 Comments


Week One is Complete!
And for my reward, I ate a great Sunday Brunch overlooking the ocean, followed by two stress-free rest days!

I know it was only supposed to be 1 rest day, but I ended up getting a toothache. Have you ever tried running with a toothache? Not good. But it’s not a cavity (I hope) – just pressure from a root canal I had done last year. Nonetheless, the throbbing pain every time you hit the pavement is not very pleasant.

It’s the same with in-ear head phones for me. When I get my heart rate up, the throbbing in my ears pushing into the earplugs… yetch – not for me. I have a nice pair of Sennheiser PMX80s – GREAT for big eared people, but I run mostly without music.

Okay, enough of the personal life – How was my first week? I must say it went pretty well!
The first 3 mile run was nice. The next day’s 4 mile run was a bit of a challenge at the beginning, but worked out okay. And then the next 3 mile run on Thursday ended up being a little fun because I tried following the route that ‘Marathon Man‘ takes. Oh-La-La! Very steep hills and I got lost on the side streets. Silly me, but I love adventure and even with all the huffing and puffy, I managed to pull it off.

Then came the long run on the weekend.
Because I did well during the week, I thought I had the Saturday run in the bag. Well it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped and it was a wake up call. But now that I can look back on my first complete week, I think it’s going to be a lot of fun… And I’m starting to really enjoy going out for my morning runs. This coming week is a 10k race, so that should be a lot fo fun, too.

Let’s see how I do next week!

 

25 Apr 2011

It’s 10k Month!

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Posted in Blaine's Running Journal | 3 Comments

Okay – I know it’s not May yet, but technically the first run starts May 1st and to make a title like… “It’s one month of 10k racing right after Easter” is a little long. And… to be honest, it’s only three races over the entire month – two of which are actually 10k. But hey, I needed to make the title sound a bit exciting, right!?! And I am excited! Why? Glad you asked!

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