Garmin Forerunner 205

Under the tree was a Garmin, the 205.  I went on a two mile run this morning as a test drive.  When I got home I hooked it up to my computer and mapped my run with Google Earth.  I am looking forward to getting some runs in and really testing it's features.

Book: Ultraprevention

I've been reading "Ultraprevention" by Mark Hyman and Mark Liponis.  Both authors were schooled like other doctors, but due to personal circumstances they started to explore alternative ways of staying healthy.  The book describes how anyone can benefit from correcting imbalances in the body to prevent the development of disease.  I read the first two sections and recommend reading them.  The next section is a six-week plan to get you back on track, I'll start reading that section soon.

Authors website.
Amazon link here.

2011 Races

This is the schedule for 2011, so far.  It is a good mix of distances that should make the year a lot of fun.   

On my radar are Stillwater, Gopher to Badger, and the Afton Trail run.  I will also enter the lottery for the half marathon at Grandma's.

Date          Race Name                     Distance
1-Jan          Polar Dash                       5k              
12-Feb       Sweetheart Run                10k            
19-Feb       White Bear Winter Frolic  5k              
7-May        Jump to it                         10k            
26-Jun        William O'Brien                10 mile       
18-Sep       Tree's and Trails               5k              
22-Oct       Run for the Apples            5 mile         
29-Oct       Monster Dash                   Half            

Vacation Sports (White Bear Lake, MN) Races only $12.50

Vacation Sports is having a special that ends Monday 11/29, all races are half off.  I signed up for a few events and they were all $12.50.  A great price when you get a shirt and most were chip timed.

Hammer Nutrition Sale

Hammer Nutrition is having a sale.  Fuel is 20% off, and everything else is discounted.  The sale lasts till December 17th.

Staying the Course: A Runner's Toughest Race

Dick Beardsley was the featured speaker at the Mankato Marathon.  It was great to listen to him talk about running and life.  He was funny and inspirational.  Afterwards I bought his book, it was the last one he had!  After the expo I had a chance to read the first chapter and it was a hard book to put down.  I'm nearly done now, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys good stories, especially if they like running stories and stories of overcoming adversity. 

You can purchase the book from the Dick Beardsley Foundation.

Dick set the course record at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth (2:09:37).  They have his picture on the Grandma's website (link).  When I pick up the book I want to run Grandma's!  I'd register for the Half today, but they use a lottery system (registration for the lottery starts 2-14-2011).

Surf the Murph

This weekend was Surf the Murph.  I was thinking of doing the 25k, but decided to make the Mankato Half my final race of 2010.  Next year I may give this race a try.

Race Reports:
North Woods Trail Running: Surf the Murph 25K 2010
... mostly just running; Surf the Murph 2010
Westy's Running; Surf the Murph

2011 Spring Races

The 2010 season is over, and I'm looking forward to 2011.  This is what I am thinking for the spring.

1-Jan;  Polar Dash 5k  
19-Mar;  Get Lucky 7k
1-May;  Eau Claire Half
14-May;  Superior 25k

This would be a nice build to the Superior 25k. 



Superior Trail Logo



Mankato Marathon Pictures



Stage to the right.





Dick Beardsley



Alley before turning to finish.




After turning you see the finish line.




Everytime a runner came in the crowd cheered.


Pictures from other Bloggers:

Mankato Half Marathon - 1:43:43

When I think about how the perfect running event should be organized, what the atmosphere at the expo should be like, and the on-course support, it was the Mankato races I was thinking of.  This is the first year of the races and they did an excellent job.

The expo was held in downtown Mankato, and the $3 parking garage had plenty of spaces.  Free parking was available at area businesses and those parking lots looked like they had open spots too.  When I entered the expo I saw hundreds of people looking at the numerous booths and seating for about 200 in front of a stage.  Starting at 4:30 they had speakers, with Dick Beardsley as the featured speaker. 

The numerous booths included 2 different energy drink companies, complimentary chair massage, 3 different running stores, 2 different head wear companies, the YMCA, 2 local coaches, the "Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic" with bones that broke in two to reveal a pen, the local newspaper, and a section selling Mankato Marathon specific apparel and posters.  The place was filled with runners and non-runners too.


Dick Beardsley setting the 1981
Grandma's Marathon course record

At 6:30 Dick Beardsley was speaking, and he was a GREAT speaker.  I enjoyed it so much I bought his book called "Staying the Course: A Runner's Toughest Race".  I finished my day by reading the first chapter in his book and went to bed confident the race would be a good one.

The forecast was rain, but when I woke up it was dry and in the 50's.  At the start it rained a little, but not enough to get my clothes wet.  I met the 1:40 pacer, his name was Seth.  Dick Beardsley did the start and I took a Hammer gel just before he said go.  I didn't take water with it like you should, and my stomach started to get upset.  The first two miles were a bit fast and the pacer was behind me so I took my time at the aid station and slowed down.  I think the combination of water and a slower pace helped settle my stomach.  Seth caught me at exactly the 3 mile maker.  Feeling good, back on pace, and only 10 more miles.

Mile 4 was flat and mile 5 had a great downhill that let me bank 40 seconds.  I kept the momentum going for miles 6-8.  I took another Hammer gel, this time with water, and my one hour Hammer supplements.  Mile 8 had some uphill and I started to feel a bit heavy in the legs and potential stomach issues.  During mile 9 I got such a bad side ache I had to walk.  Seth finally caught up and I asked for help, they recommended intense breathing and push on the side ache.  This helped, but I couldn't keep the pace and got dropped.  I hit the aid station and took some water, forced more air in and out and started to feel better.  "Better" is relative, as I still felt horrible but could at least run.  Mile 10 was more downhill and I did it in 8 minutes!  I pushed the pace and the ache came back.  This yo-yo continued for miles 11 and 12.  I'd push and hurt, back off and feel better.  I never ran with a side stitch before, so I was completely unprepared for dealing with it.  I had to walk again during mile 12 when the ache became unbearable.  Miles 11-13 were all over 8 minutes.

At about 12.5 miles I thought I could still PR if I picked it up.  I pushed hard and felt better.  Nearing mile marker 13 you enter an alley.  The alley was lined with yelling spectators and the noise bounced off the walls making it very loud.  Then you take a right and see the finish line and more people on both sides clapping and yelling.  It was a huge rush and I finished really strong.  Of the races I've run, the Mankato finish was the greatest in terms of motivation and crowd support. 

After crossing the line I got a pair of gloves, my medal, and then saw the food tables.  They had lots of great stuff like Greek yogurt, popcorn, chocolate milk, and the usual bananas, pretzels etc. 

I would definitely recommend this race to anyone.  I didn't do the time I wanted, but every race you learn something and now I'll be better prepared for the next one.  The lesson from this race is breathing.  I usually don't focus on breathing, but since I was slightly congested I should have made sure to keep the air flowing to avoid the side ache.  I also should never take a gel without water.

Official Results:
1:43:43 (A PR by 10 seconds, Gopher to Badger was 1:43:53)
7:55 pace
84 out of 874 total
69 out of 322 men
21 out of 103 age group

Proceeds from Dick Beardsley book sales go to his foundation.

Other Race Reports:

Depression Marathon Blog; Good. Good. Good. BOOM!

Historiadora on the Run; Race Report: Mankato Half-Marathon

Pacer Report  -  JerBear Shares; Race Report: Mankato Half Marathon

Blogkitten.com; WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

Pork Power Blog; Helping at the Mankato Marathon

Journey to My First Marathon....and beyond; Marathon #3 - Mankato
SHE SAID. SHE SAID; race recap: 2010 mankato half-marathon
A day in the Life; Mankato Marathon

The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson

When I started running in late 2009, I looked at my diet and noticed a few areas that were out of balance.  I had very little variety, and just like in running if you do the same thing over and over it could lead to injury.  So I needed to start introducing new foods.  I've been successful in doing that, and much happier with the new variety of foods I eat. 

To further my knowledge I've been reading books like "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson.  What I like about this book is that it works.  I've lost some weight, but that is not what impresses me.  Mr. Sisson says we eat to many carbohydrates.  So for a few days I cut back on the bread, pasta, and crackers.  I immediately dropped over 5 pounds.  Cool, but not as cool as this.  I did a low carb day with lots of fruit and vegetables.  The next day I had oatmeal and a Hammer Recoverite drink for breakfast.  That's a good amount of carbohydrates.  As Mr. Sisson predicts I crashed and got really hungry.  So the next day I avoided the carbs and guess what, no crash and consistent energy! 

I also like that he makes a great omelet.  In fact, I'm going to go make one for lunch now (I even bought organic eggs specifically for omelet making).

Mankato Half Marathon on Saturday

Only a few days till the Mankato Half.  I've decided to run with the 1:40 pacer and push the last mile to get under 1:40.  I've been doing runs at the 7:40 pace without really trying, so I am very positive.  However, the weather forecast is rain.  I've only run once in the rain, so this could be a real challenge.  It will also be in the 40-50 degree range, add some rain and it could be very cold. 

Taper for Mankato has begun!

My 2 week taper has begun, so I cut out swimming this week.  I'll still do weights and Yoga this week, but only Yoga next week.  I've also reduced my running miles and will focus on tempo runs. 

My goal time is under 1:40, and I think I can do it.  On my Sunday long run (on the Gateway Trail) I did 10 miles at an average pace of 7:37, and I need 7:40's to hit my goal.  My last two miles were 7:08 and 7:13, so the big difference this time will be my ability to finish strong.

Running in my Luna Sandals

Today I ran 4 miles in my new Luna Sandals.  The first thing I noticed was how much quieter I was running.  Next I noticed my form was better.  Usually I run downhill for a minute, then turn onto a flat street and check in with my form, making adjustments.  Today when I hit the flat street I was in great form (I use the ChiRunning method). 

My right calf was getting tight and the bottom of the right foot was getting sore; so I focused on a softer landing and the problems went away.  I really like the quick feedback I get when running.  With Luna's, or other barefoot inspired shoes, once your form breaks down you start to feel pain.  Once the calf or foot starts to hurt you know it is time to check your form. 


From LunaSandals.com



Luna Sandals Have Arrived

My Luna Sandals!

The Luna Sandals have arrived!  Barefoot Ted has some videos on his website on how to tie them.  You have two options, slip on or traditional. 

At first I tried the slip on method.  The video was great and easy to follow.  Once I had them attached I walked around the house.  I've been wearing flip flops for the last few months to get used to having something between my toes, so the feeling was not unusual.  I ran on the carpet and everything felt fine.  I slipped them off and on and that was easy. 

Next I tried to tie them the traditional way.  I was happy with the slip on method, but wanted to see what the difference was.  I didn't think I would like having something wrapped around my ankle.  I was wrong.  The traditional method felt a lot better.  It was also easy to get on and off.

After walking around the house for a few days I finally went outside.  The first thing I noticed was the knot between my toes to attach the lace.  I was walking and it was uncomfortable.  I tried to run and it felt fine.  I walked again, but changed my form and the discomfort was reduced.  But running felt really good.  I'm looking forward to getting them out again.


Slip on with Hemp Laces

 

Tied Traditional Style




Trail Running at Afton State Park, MN

In July I ran the 25k at the Afton Trail Races (race report).  I enjoyed running on the trails but haven't been back.  This past weekend I wanted something different, so I headed to Afton.  It brought back memories of struggling up the hills and pushing myself on the flatter sections.  This time I noticed the hills were MUCH easier and my footing was more secure on the treacherous downhills.  Since July I've run a lot of miles and worked to strengthen my legs, so I should have expected feeling better.  What I didn't expect was the thrill of flying down the hills.  I found myself smiling as I went full throttle down the hills and tried to maintain this speed in the flat sections.  When running gets old, time to hit the trails to freshen things up.

It was so much fun that I plan to go back and run more trails.  And this time I will make sure the lids on my bottles are tight.  One bottle leaked and my shirt and shorts smelled like HEED! 


Me Running the Afton 25k in July



Barefoot Ted's Luna Huaraches

After my 20 mile race on Saturday I decided to skip running this week.  But on Tuesday I took off my shoes to run around a soccer field by the house.  I did it to see what barefoot running felt like, and it felt great.  I also ran on the packed dirt of a baseball field and could feel my technique change to accommodate the harder ground.  After 4 passes on the hard dirt I was totally comfortable running on it.  It was a great experiment, and best of all the tenderness in my right foot didn't bother me.

I've been reading a blog by Jason Robillard, author of "The Barefoot Running Book."  Needless to say he is a barefoot runner and promoter.  He also is an ultra runner who's detailed race reports are great for a beginner like me to further my understanding of racing.  His reports also motivate me to run because he may run 100 mile races, but he doesn't win.  He is just an average guy who likes to run. 

After running barefoot Tuesday, I decided that barefoot running is something I want to explore in more detail.  I remembered a recent post by Jason, a review of Barefoot Ted's Luna Huaraches (link).  Jason had very positive comments: "Simply put- they are my minimalist shoe Nirvana."  Sounds like a great recommendation, so today I ordered a pair from the Luna website (link). 

Barefoot Ted's Luna Huaraches

Get Ready to Rock - 2:58:49

Today was great for a run, overcast with perfect temperatures.  Lucky for me I was signed up for a race around Bald Eagle Lake in White Bear Lake, MN (link).  This was a 20 mile race, and my previous farthest run was only 18.  This was going to be a real test.  Lucky for me Pacer Sam from the Minnesota Pacers was leading the 3 hour group (9 min miles) and that is exactly what I wanted to do. 

This was also the first race that I was going all out on Hammer Nutrition products.  No details, but to summarize I skipped solid food for breakfast and only took Hammer supplements.  At the 1 hour and the 2 hour marks I took more Hammer Supplements, and along the way I drank Hammer Perpetuem. 

So how was the race?  Awesome.  Unknown to me, my alarm clock was set 10 min behind, so I was running late from the start.  Then construction on the drive blocked the road (yes, the ENTIRE road was blocked with no detour signs).  The internal compass worked fine and I was back on track in a few minutes to arrive at the parking lot.  And it was EMPTY!!  Most people parked on the other side of the school, so I had plenty of spots to choose from.  The T-shirt was very nice, in a light blue color.  I took care of business and was in my car resting in no time.  But first I ran into Blogger Julie and had to say hi.

I lined up with Pacer Sam and what would turn into a group of about 15 runners, all going for 3 hrs.  It seemed most people lined up by pace as only a few times did we need to pass or be passed by other runners.  The course is fairly flat with about 5 miles in neighborhoods before the two loops around Bald Eagle Lake.  I was excited as mile 10 grew close because just after the mile marker my wife and kids were waiting.  They all yelled when they saw me and I swapped my Fuel Belt bottles for new ones.  The rest of the race was good till about mile 16.  Then it became a real challenge to stay with Pacer Sam.  He was very good a motivating everyone to pick up the pace till it was just Sam and I at mile 18.  I stuck with him till mile 19 when he all but pushed me to finish strong.  Over that last mile I had spurts of strong running but was able to really dig in as the finishers shoot appeared.  That last mile was 8:16.  It helped that my wife and kids were all yelling for me. 

Official Results:
88 out of 210
Time 2:58:49
Pace 8:57

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, a book

On Saturday someone from the St. Croix Valley Running Club said they were going to Greece to run the Athens Marathon (Link).  Another runner said to read "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakami (Link).  Haruki talks about his experience running the original route, only backwards from Athens to Marathon.  To summarize, the run was hot.  But he has a lot more to say and so far the book has been good.  I figure tomorrow I will have plenty of time to read while I recover from my 20 mile Get Ready to Rock run.

Surf the Murph trail race in Savage, MN

Whenever I get the latest Runners World I immediately want to run a new race.  So after the Oct issue I started researching Surf the Murph, held October 30 at Murphy-Hanrehan Park in Savage, MN.  I had heard about this race from trail running bloggers. 

I would do the 25K since I am doing the Mankato Half the weekend before.  I should be in good shape after building for Mankato.  The cost goes up Oct 1, so I will wait to see how my 20 miler goes this weekend. 

18 Miles

Today I did the longest run in my life - 18 Miles!  I ran on the Gateway Trail and saw a few others out on long runs.  It was a great day with cool temperatures and a good mix of sun/shade.  I felt surprisingly good, averaging 9:11 a mile. 

This Saturday I'll be doing 20 miles at Get Ready to Rock.  The race will have pacers, so I think I might go with the 9 min group (3 hours total for 20 miles).  This may be a stretch, but if I do some run/walk after mile 10 I should be OK.  The big problem today was range of motion.  After 2+ hours of the same running technique my legs felt stiff and my already short stride got shorter.  I did some walking and stopped to refill my water bottles and after each I felt much better. 

Rochester Half Marathon 1:45:56

The Rochester Half Marathon (map) is put on by the Rochester Track Club, and if I lived in Rochester I would be a member.  They put on a quality event with a great group of volunteers.

Parking was incredibly easy, with numerous empty parking garages and on street parking.  Packet pickup was at the Holiday Inn, so I parked in the garage attached to the Holiday Inn.  I was the only person parked on the top floor.  As soon as I entered someone asked if I was running and showed me to the conference room.  Once I had my number attached I stretched and waited.  The 5k was first, and Renee from Renee's Ramblings was calling the start.  Then it was time for the Half Marathon to start.

Hat and Medal (Pic from Renee's Ramblings)

The first 2 miles of the course were hilly (and it takes a lot for me to call something hilly).  However, it seemed the downhill was steeper and longer than the uphill.  My mile 1 split was 8:25 (mostly uphill) and my mile 2 split was 6:57 (mostly downhill).  At around mile 3 the course goes off the street and onto bike paths.  The bike path was not a problem because at this point most people have been sorted out by pace.  It was on the bike path that I began to focus on my form. 

Once on the bike path a lot of back and forth was happening with a group of about 5.  I knew if they dropped me it would be a long, slow day.  I stuck with them and at about mile 5 one woman started to break away.  I was singularly focused on staying with her and what a lucky break for me.  She did splits of 8:11, 8:10, 8:01, 8:10, 7:54, 8:08 (miles 5-10).  And some of this was in traffic!  She was very consistent and I did everything I could to keep up.  At one point I did get next to her and thank her for motivating me, she said my loud feet were motivation for her and then took off again.  I tried to run softer.

The trails were very nice with lots of shade.  The water stops also had Gatorade and a few had ice.  At one station they wore cardboard signs saying "free ice" and "free water."

At mile 9 I took 2 Hammer Endurolytes (electrolyte supplement) and 2 Hammer Anti-Fatigue Caps (they "Scavenge excess ammonia to reduce fatigue").  I don't expect anything special when I take supplements, I think of them as helping to improve recovery.  But this time was different.  I've never done the Anti-Fatigue Caps before and I noticed an uptick in energy at about mile 11.  Correction, not more energy but less pain.  This was perfect timing because I was falling off the pace big time, 8:16 for mile 11 and slowing.  I slowly passed the woman pacing me and she didn't keep up. 

I hit the finish line in 1:45:56.  Average pace was 8:09.
135 out of 484 total
107 out of 271 males
19 out of 34 age group

For my next race:
Focus on form from the start
Focus on running with a softer footfall
Try Anti-Fatigue Caps again, they seem to work
In training do some speed work, especially after my long runs

2010 Rochester Half Marathon

Over 100 Miles for Aug

For the 3rd month in a row I've run over 100 miles.  It is such a great feeling to go out on a run and be 10 miles into it and still feel fresh.  Then some days you go 2 miles and feel completely spent, but overall it has been great!

100

Hammer Nutrition Autoship Program

Today I signed up for the Hammer Nutrition Autoship Program.  I really like Recoverite and the supplements, so this is a way to get them automatically sent every 3 months.  I'll also get a discount and free shipping with my quarterly shipments. 

By signing up I also get tons of free stuff, like a free running kit (long or short sleeve shirt and shorts) with my first shipment.  I also get a client number that others can use when they place a shipment.  If it is your first order and you reference my client number, you get 15% off the entire order (but you can only do it once).  The linke to a 15% discount is here.

Rochester Medal and Hat

At the Rochester Half Marathon this weekend you don't get a shirt, you get a hat.  I found pictures of the hat and Medal on Renee's Ramblings blog. 

One Week till the Rochester Half

I've never been to Rochester before, so this is going to be a great opportunity to run a race and see a city.  I plan to drive down Saturday before the race, but also thinking about staying Friday night. 

As for preparing, I did speed work this week!  I wanted to reduce my miles after Gopher to Badger, but also wanted to make sure the miles I got were quality.  So Sunday and Monday were 0 days.  Then Tuesday an easy day.  Wednesday I did 5 hilly miles followed by a 6:47 mile!!  I took a 3 minute rest then ran a 7:49.  Since this was out and back over a small hill I thought the times would be comparable, but the out mile must have more elevation drop because it is much faster then I expected. 

Gopher to Badger Half Marathon - 1:43:53

Today was the Gopher to Badger Half Marathon.  This was my second half and I was ready for a good race.  I'm a big fan of Hammer Nutrition products and have been using a few, before the race I took 2 Anti-Fatigue Caps, 2 Endurance Amino, and 2 Endurolytes.  I don't eat solid food before a run.  The plan was a gel at miles 2, 6, and 9, with 2 Endurolytes at mile 6 if it was humid. 

Two guys from the St. Croix Valley Runners were doing the race too, and Tom offered to drive us.  They were both 1:40-ish runners so I was hopping to hang on to the pace they set.  Once at the start I ran into Julie from Julie's Running Blog.  She was taking it easy (and a good idea since the weather turned out to be a challenge).  I lined up with the 1:45 pacer but after the first turn never saw them again. 

The race started with rolling hills and I was able to build up a lead on the 1:40 pacer as my downhills made up for any slowness in the uphill sections.  I was actually feeling good until the mile 6 aid station.  I took a gel and Endurolytes.  Out of the aid station the 1:40 pacer passed me and I couldn't stay with them.  This was a long, hot, lonely, and slightly uphill section (or maybe it just seemed that way).  I settled into an 8 min pace but was slowing.  Then Tom caught me at about 8 miles. 

What a relief to have someone to run with.  I pushed to stay with him and it changed my mental state from "just make it" to "this is like our Saturday morning runs".  My spirits lifted and I didn't struggle as much to keep up.  Tom knows I'm a bit faster on the downhill so he let me go first as we entered the sidewalk under highway 94.  I pushed hard and waited for him to catch me.  He didn't catch up till we crossed the finish line and we got the exact same time!

1:43:53 (7:56 per mile pace)
About 10 min faster than my Stillwater Half Marathon
91 out of 736

Other notes:
-  Shoes soaked from puring water on my back
-  Blister on little toe
-  15 min ice bath felt great, but still sore
-  Did NOT wear visor, need to practice wearing it on runs
-  Two weeks till next half, Rochester Half Marathon on August 28

Sat with St. Croix Valley Runners

I ran with the St. Croix Valley Runners again today.  It was a small group since tomorrow is the Red Wing River City Ramble 1/2 Marathon. 

Next weekend is the Gopher to Badger 1/2 Marathon and a few people are doing that one.  G to B is the race I am getting ready for.  My training is going well and I think if the weather is good I should do OK.  Today I had a great run, 5 miles in 39 minutes for under 8 min miles.  If I want to break 1:45, and I do, this is how fast I'll need to run. 

My Hammer Visor is here!  I ran in it once and it held back the sweat.  I was going to run with it today, but didn't want to try something new while running with others.  I knew I'd push myself to keep up with the faster runners so I didn't want anything like visor issues slowing me down.  But I did try a Chocolate Hammer gel and it was good, but I just don't like chocolate when running.  Banana was good after being in my shorts pocket an hour, warm like when you microwave a banana.  And Hammer Tropical was very good.  I bought the Hammer gel sampler kit with the visor and I am having fun trying new flavors. 

Sunday is my last long run before G to B so I'll be putting all my race day stuff to the test.  This means no breakfast or any solid food before the run (this has been working out great for me, more sleep and no stomach or bathroom issues!).  I just bought a box of Band-Aids, 100 of them, so I have plenty of protection.  I'll also try to fine tune my gel consumption.  Last weekend I over-did it and will cut back to every 25 min (I was at 20).

Sunday Run; 12 slow miles

70 degrees when I started at 8am and 80 degrees at 10am.  I don't know the humidity, but my shirt has never been wetter.  I also never felt so tired, on the last two miles I had to run 1 min and walk 30 sec.  The Gopher to Badger 1/2 Marathon is in two weeks so I'll need to do some experimenting to make sure I'm ready if the humidity is like today.  Maybe some Hammer Endurolytes during the run (which I take before and after, but never during the run).  Maybe some type of sport drink.  I'll have to think about it this week and do a test run next weekend.

Since I am a Hammer fan (and the price was right) I bought a visor to help keep the sweat out of my eyes.  I hope I don't need it, but just in case I'll have it.

5 Miles with St. Croix Valley Runners

I ran with the St. Croix Valley Runners again on Saturday.  We had about 20 people.  This was my 3rd time running with them and I''m beginning to know the regulars.  I ran with two other guys and we finished at about an 8:20 per mile pace.  After we finished three of the runners took off for an additional 15-ish miles up to the Gateway Trail and back.  I decided to take my long run Sunday as planned along the Gopher to Badger 1/2 Marathon route.  The race is in two weeks so I want to get a feel for the course. 

Follow this link to the 5 mile route the St. Croix Valley Runners follow.

500 miles so far

I was looking at my monthly mileage and decided to add it up.  Over 500 miles so far this year!  I can't believe it.  I really enjoy my runs and the planning that goes along with signing up for a race.  My pace is also improving and I am getting comfortable with running the ChiRunning way. 

I'm also excited to be back in the pool.  University of Minnesota has a few races in early 2011 that I'd like to swim.  I plan to take it easy with 2-3 days a week in the pool, then ramp things up each month with Nov/Dec being serious swim time. 

Stillwater Lumberjack Days

Today was the Lumberjack Days 10 mile, 5k, and kids races.  It was a lot of fun for me because I didn't run, but watched with my kids while my wife ran the 5k.  It was her first race and she did great!  My daughter ran the kids 1 mile and surprised me by running the entire way, and even picked up the pace at the end!

Ankle Issues

I was in the attic installing a bath fan exhaust when I somehow stressed my left ankle.  It was uncomfortable to walk, so I took a few days off running (Sun - Tue).  Today I did a short 2 mile run, but I did it fast.  I actually surprised myself by going 7:46 and 6:51.  I don't think I've ever gone under 7 for a mile before. 

Hammer Nutrition

Since I'm getting low on gels and the weather has been getting hotter (and my mileage is increasing) I began researching fueling ideas.  The Hammer Nutrition website has a section called "Knowledge", and it is full of information.  I started reading Endurance Athlete's Guide to Success (over 100 pages).  It provides the reason behind the products and how best to use them.  It was good information and I look forward to reading more on endurance nutrition, but this gives me a good place to start.  Unfortunately the Washington County library system has a limited selection of sport nutrition books.  I've requested two of them, Vegetarian Sports Nutrition and Advanced Sports Nutrition. 


On my last order from Great Race Nutrition they sent a 15% off coupon.  With this in hand I went to the website and got some Hammer products:

• Premium Insurance Caps for daily use
• Gels for calories 
• Endurolyte Capsules for longer runs
• Recoverite Drink Mix for post running
• and Free shipping (if you spend over $49 on Hammer products)

St. Croix Valley Runners

Today I ran with the St. Croix Valley Runners for 5 miles, the usual Saturday run.  It was a good group with about 12 people. 

The group was talking about the Red Wing River City Ramble (Aug 8).  Seems this is a popular race and many people are doing it.  I've got a full racing schedule so will pass, but will keep my ears open to what else is a popular run.