TALES FROM THE TRAIL (AND SOMETIMES THE ROAD TOO)

Thursday, February 10, 2011

So, SO, SO, SO Close (but yet so far)

Today I ran my 9.5 mile timed loop.  The race against myself.  To recap:  this is the loop --

My Activities Timed Loop 2-10-2011, Elevation - Distance

To additionally recap, my goal is two hours.  My best time before today was 2 hours 11 minutes.  In order to make goal, I figure I gotta make it to the top of Meadows Trail in ONE hour.  That’s at about the 5 mile mark on the elevation graph above.   Last week, I made the top of Meadows in 1 hour, 7 minutes.

I wasn’t sure how to improve getting to the top of Meadows.  Do I run like heck to the base, therefore tiring myself beforehand? Or do I conserve energy a bit so that I have more energy running up the beast?

I decided, run my a** off and try to make time on the easy parts.  I will say, that I got off to a slow start.  Needed to make a pit stop.  Then I had to retie both shoes, since I tied them too tight originally. 

I made great time on Wood Canyon.  By the time I reached Meadows’ climb, I was dead-dog-tired, and about a quarter of the way up, I started with that nasty negative talk.  “I’ll never do it!  I can’t, I can’t, I can’t . . . “

With that kind of talk, I’m surprised that I made it to the top of Meadows Trail three minutes faster than last week!

CIMG8958

I ran across the Top of the World (most of it paved) a little sluggish, speeding up on the flat and downhill portions.  When I entered the park again at West Ridge Trail, my motto was “Run like the Wind, Bullseye!”

To my utter surprise, I made the outhouse at the bottom of Canyon Vistas Park in two hours!  With one tiny little hill to go, I told myself, just do it in FIVE minutes.  You can do it in FIVE MINUTES!!!  Thing was, I felt like falling flat on my face.  I had really run myself into the ground this time. 

But I was so close to smashing my record by several minutes.  Ends up I made my best time in this race against myself with 2 hours, 4 minutes.  I really couldn’t hope for anything better than a 7 minute improvement from last week.  I’m shocked.

The pressure’s on . . .

Now to spice things up a bit – I had such a blast looking through old team pictures last week, that I thought I’d post another one (30+ years old – not me, the picture, I’m much older) Smile

Another blast from the past.  This is one of the several softball teams that I played for in my youth.  The Flintstones from 1980, the Bobbi Sox league.  I played in two leagues, the other was Little Miss, where we wore those skirt-like shorts and no sliding allowed, stealing home, or even leading-off.  Bobbi Sox was tough – sliding allowed, leading off and stealing home too!  I slid maybe once.  And I don’t recall ever being asked to steal a base (I was too slow : )  My Dad is in the picture too, and I was so, so young, but I’m sure with that youth, I could have never run today’s loop anywhere close to 2 hours 4 minutes!

Thanks for reading. Smile

bobbysox

14 comments:

  1. Well done! Pushing yourself like that when you run on your own is awesome. Only 4 minutes to go...

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  2. Great job, a return on that speedwork you did!

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  3. Thanks Johann. It really is hard for me to push myself when I'm running by myself. Sure is good to see results.

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  4. Thanks Stuart. As hellish as speed work is for me, I have to admit, even my amateur attempts have made a big impact!

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  5. It sure does feel good, Windnsnow. Thanks! I feel really lucky to be doing this during this time of my life.

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  6. Thanks for stopping by Andrew! One of these days I'm going to make a collage of all the pictures I call "Waiting for Lauren." Because one of these days I will be able to keep up with the pack. : )))

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  7. Well, Trail Jogger, I certainly didn't think I'd have a 7 min. improvement from last week. Thanks! Now I'm a little afraid to run it again next week. Like I mentioned, the pressure's on.

    Good luck with your training!

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  8. Hey, thanks for the comment on my posting the other day. Someone actually DOES read it! Makes it even more fun. Now, as for your latest adventure, HOLY CRAP that's a hill. I consider 1000 feet in a mile a steep hiking trail back here in the vertical trail east. You ran up 700 feet in a mile - you go! If I ever get to So. California I've got to find that trail!

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  9. congrats on the loop pr! the celebratory pic is cute :) the old school pic is funny - i like how you are all wearing jeans with your jerseys.

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  10. Thanks for reading Gary! Yes, Meadows Trail is a BEAR. I actually hate it. But at least now, I don't suffer anxiety as I approach. And another good thing, it's a switch-back, which for some reason makes it a little easier for me psychologically. We've got lots steeper in So. California, so let me know if you ever make it out, and I will give you a list : )

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  11. Thanks Lindsay. I'm afraid to run my timed loop now. I don't think I can improve on my time at this point, and I don't want to go backwards.

    That jeans thing was a bit odd. I wonder if they still wear jeans in that league. We did wear knee pads while running the bases (as if I ever needed them : )

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