Coming back...! (was "Coming Back...?") 3-28-07

UPDATE May 30th: last race 51-54 was 29 mins. Yecch!

Next two had huge hills that were challenging but kept me

in the 28+ range. Saddleback 5K 5/28 rolling hills = much

better 27:08! Let's see how well I do at CDM 5K on 6/2!

from 6/7 (separate log "COMING BACK" deleted)

Still slow but back under 28 minutes!

Well...27 on rolling hills made me confident I am coming back. Corona del Mar 6-2-07 was gratifying 28 mins with bigger hills, and finally back under 8 minutes for mile 1. The real test is coming 6-9-07 in Downtown Anaheim...

Updated on 6/11/2007 4:18:45 PM

WOW! Excellent 25:58 on the wonderfully flat Downtown Anaheim course! Another sub-8 mile 1, another powerful

sprint at end, to break 26 minutes! Next goal is 25:13

or less on July 4th. Running a slightly-hilly practice

5K next Sunday 6-17.

Hip is quite painful when sitting in Civic. Again, no

worse whether I run or not, so...I run.

I am the Endless Racer: I will run or die!

Dan

Terrible but not unexpected 28:23 on July 4th: it was HOT

at 7:30. And I did not get to train due to work and heat.

(No 6/17 5K-- postponed to July 22nd) I foolishly ran out before the race to check repositioned milepoints and had to *run back to start line! Nice course just too darn hot.

BETTER (though still mediocre) 27 flat on July 15th. My

pace slowed in second mile, so never got tired out.

Running a training 5K Sun July 22nd: want to break 26 minutes again. Test of recovery Aug 4th flat course.

Then test of stamina HBDD Aug 18th (sub 42 would be nice)

Yet to try out my neat downhill mile in Yorba Linda.

Training run postponed and postponed again: now shooting for Aug 11.

Aug 4th ERA 5K course was *not* flat: HUGE uphill at 2/3 mile to past milepoint 1! Another "little" vlalley hill at U-turn to aggravate me. On way back, huge *downhill* was too steep to run comfortably (pound them thighs!).

Whatta fiasco. Stil managed a respectable 28:47.

It's been too darn *hot* to train in evenings when I like to run, and no luck getting up early. Goal this week ahead of training 5K 8/11 is at least three runs of 2 miles each.

Realigning downhill mile: reassessed "slight" uphill at very start to be too long for speed. So I add another

street crossin near end (never preferable).

Hey Dan, how is your hip feeling? Where exactly does it hurt? Any luck running these days?

I also can't run in the evening. Too hot and smoggy -- awful for my asthma. Once you start forcing yourself to get up early to do it it actually gets much easier.

From the veteran of three hip injuries (but healthy for two years, knock wood!)

Alicia

Reply to Alicia D.:

Feeling about the same as last year...pain is actually two inches below the socket in tendons etc, and doesn't

radiate much. Really sore when sitting (esp in car for long periods), but not when running! Chiro sez I have been twisting right leg underneath me compensating for my weaker left leg ("rebuilt" broken ankle from 1973 never 100% and still has two screws in it). Kinda like a "whole leg hyperpronation"...

Hey, I scrubbed 8/11 training 5K but ran the 5-mile Saturday 8/18 and survived: but 8 minutes slower than 2005! Blaming the 9 am *heat* for it. Ha ha.

I see Paula Fell ran it also, much faster than I...!

Still planning to run rescheduled training 5K at

6 a.m. this Sat. Aug 25,2007. No ambitions, just run.

Keep it up, Dan!

My hips drop and hyperrotate when I run (at least they used to, before strengthening) so I understand. I have torn my hip flexor twice (once after Saddleback in 2005) and had tendinitis there for months. It's about in the same position you're talking about, but probably about an inch down from the socket, directly in the front of the leg.

Anyway, sounds like you have a good attitude about it. I've had SI joint/piriformis-type pain for the last two days...a little worried it'll affect my Disneyland race. Even worse, that it's a disc problem. Shudder.

You can't expect to have a good race time when you're coming back. Best just to use it as a baseline to see where you are.

Only 8 months till your new division!

Arghhhh!

On my way to potential injury & embarassment at Long Beach Marathon and hit road debris on the freeway. Knocked a hole in bottom of radiator, leaked coolant.

I was mentally if not physically prepared to go the 26.2, and now it's just lost cash. Next race 11/4 (5K)

oh no!!!

That stinks, Dan. Which freeway?

And are you doing Santa Clarita instead, then?

As soon as my son's band competition (EVERY weekend out-of-town, plus every varsity football playoff game) is done, I can schedule races. Wimping on the Half-M 12/8 unless I can get solid training... I really want 'sub-2' but REALLY *DON'T* WANT 2.5-hr-plus!! Seriously contemplating the Santa Monica 5K OR SCHM 5K that day instead. Regardless, lined up Santa 5K Sun 12/16: go for post-injury record on a supportive course.

Two weeks to last-chance-for-2007 PR-since-injury and/or Top 20 5K.

Trepidation upon learning Band booster event will scrub OC Mara 5K on January 6th = next race after Dec 16th will be Feb 3rd!

"Acceptable" training 5K Sun 11/25 (28:24), but need to work on 2-mile

speed DAILY. Right hip sore all the time sitting now...pain seems to have rotated down around underneath somehow [compensating again]

oh no... how long's it been since you've seen a doc or physical therapist? You've got to get this hip pain taken care of, Dan. It's not going to go away by itself. Argh!

Sorry about your need to scrub the OC Marathon 5K, but you probably won't be missing much. Those 5K races that are extensions of marathons are usually not that good. Save yourself for a better race (and get healthy!!!)

Alicia:

Actually, hip was worse a year ago for about a month: sitting down a lot

(for long stretches) lately is making it worse. I will see how it is after holidays. Better for a couple of days after run last weekend.

My wife has suggested euthanasia as one course of treatment...

Actually, OC Marathon 5K is same roads-and-bridges route as a lot of newer runs in Irvine: take advantage of low traffic in business parks around Irvine Spectrum. Advantage is lots of greenery along route, some asphalt along with nasty concrete; disadvantage is at least one freeway overpass. Original OCM 5K was on cold windy estuary bike-path/maint road. Other old routes on "creek" (channel) bike paths were more confining than scenic and had nasty "dips" (hard down and up) beneath cross roadways. Of course, my "normal stamina" style works best on the boring, flat, straight-out-and-back of PCH at Surf City Marathon 5K. Not to mention my PR course in Anaheim Hills on 4th of July.

More persepectives after Dec 16th run. Trying to sneak in a couple of two-milers this Sat.12/8 and Sun 12/9 around weekend chores.

Make Room for Santa 5K 12-16-07 six seconds slower (course time) than 2006; chalk up some to hard running in slow crowd first 1/2-mi! Had an incredible gentle-downhill final mile 8:10 = fastest 3rd mile in years (2001?) Balking at training runs due to cold, wind, holiday flab (estimated 6-10 lbs added), but sprints go pretty well. Proof of my overall condition will be Surf City Mara 5K on Feb 3rd. Looking for 25.

Fingers crossed for you, Dan. I am doing the half-marathon there at Surf City, but it isn't an "A" race for me, so I don't anticipate a speedy time. I just finished the first week in my training progrssion so I've not exactly built up to race sharpness...

At least your time in the Santa race was fairly close to what it was the year before. That's good news. Wonder if it's going to be rainy/windy on Sunday!

Change of plans: because of the horrendous weather and its effect on my already-marginal training, I am "shining on" the Surf City 5K (sadly, missing a "chip" race *and* the opportunity to run into you in person!) for a training 5K here at home. My next "real" 5K will be the Race on the Base at Los Alamitos on Feb 23rd, assuming training goes well.

Good news: right hip has *improved* although not 100%.

Bad news: threw out my left knee running to car in the rain. Oddly, does not seem to affect my running speed; just not comfortable extending and

twisting. Go figure.

Heya! Well you missed one heck of a cold, cold day. Wind, rain, mist...what else could you want?

Well, don't blame you for not going. But too bad I couldn't meet you in person!

On the good news front, I obliterated my PR by over 3 minutes. Time: 1:46:23

Alicia: EXCELLENT! I think we spoke once before about great times in rainy weather...I wound up not running at all, thanks to some cld cold drizzle here. But I'm committed to the Los Alamitos 5K on the 23rd.

That's a pretty flat race, right? My friend was telling me about that one. Apparently you have to show photo ID since it's a military base. Don't forget the CDL!

Alicia: Correct: no hills! Also probably need to get there REALLY early to park.

If I feel particularly inspired, I might run Firecracker this weekend, myself... also depends on the weather. I don't think I'm up for another soaking. ha!

Yee-hah. Out into the brisk mid-40's to low 50's Sat Feb 23rd for the "Race on the Base" 5K at Los Alamitos Army Air Base. Laughing to myself at all the people bundled up in coats and jackets, as I loped into registration in my Bastille Day 5K s/s and khaki shorts! Of course by race time all the serious runners were in "skivvy-class" running togs too. Good race for outta shape Dan -- flat, flat, and flat. As my thighs are telling me today, did you know the runways are concrete? At least the start area was asphalt...but the unnecessary fencing meant I got to start line 27 secs after horn! Also, my bib age was wrong, so I was screwed anyhow.

Discounting the start delay, I would've been 11th in division. But, hey, this one (my first, incredibly, this year!) was not for the time or the placing. Just needed to get out and run with the pack. Next stop is Spring into Health 5K March 22nd. In the meantime I have scheduled two training 5Ks, on two of next three weekenda in March. Run, Forrest!

PS Right hip was killing me all last week at work & in car. MUCH BETTER today!

03-11-08 Missed training run Sun 3/9 but still sched'd for 3/16/08 a.m.

Not enough training...but then, maybe not...

Got wound up on March 21 and ran my 2nd fastest training half-mile ever!

(missed best by 4 secs)

But then, alas: caught something at work & runny nose all day and night last Thursday 3/20. Worked entire day Friday on antihistamines, got home, ate, and then passed out snoring and drooling for two hours.

Woke up, did one thousand household chores til 12:30 a.m.; got up at 7,

"suited up", and ran the 5K. Crappy time 29 mins...but not for being

sick! Proceeded to run my butt off all day Saturday and Sunday at

camping venue: accompanied kids in bike parade on foot, 3 blocks to pool and back, etc. Probably ran and walked 12 miles including the 5K all weekend; swam for a long time too. Germs have met their match.

I know what you mean Dan. I took a huge step backwards in my training/fitness when I caught a horrible chest cold. That was a month ago and my lungs still haven't recovered. I had to readjust all my training paces. I'm now back to where I was in the middle of last year. I ran a 23:46 5K yesterday -- pretty lousy for me -- and I felt like I was going to pass out! I suppose there's not much you can do to avoid it, especially if you work around people who insist on coming to work sick.

Well, the sinus crud came back and kinda worked into my lungs at the end of March -- did not feel much like running until Wed? I think. But I was determined to recover before Seal Beach 5K on April 5th. So I did isometrics and squats at work and tried to clear my lungs out with a few sprints. Must've worked because I was ready to go Sat. and ran a truly decent 26:12, which is my 2nd fastest (by 14 secs) since I hurt my hip! It helped that course was totally flat...

Running another self-timed 5K this weekend to verify improvement, but next "real" race isn't until May 26th. So I have some time to get ready.

Hope your cold clears up, Alicia. Sucks to be sick!

Seal Beach "corrected" to 26:08: all well and good except my stopwatch time was 26:25.. hmmm.

*NO* training for June 7th Corona del Mar 5K, not a whit. And yet I shaved 38 seconds off my 2007 time with a 27:29 (still way off 2005's 25:50). Now I wonder how good the skipped Laguna 5K could have been... (sub 26??)

Oh, well. Shoot for the gold: 25 flat on July 4th and I'll be happy.

BTW skipped Downtown Anaheim 5K also off camping at beach!

Woulda been 12th of 21 with anything from 23:38-25:05!

Just as well, will run "free" training 5K ( 1 mi Kellogg & Cresthill to Sunwood "course with hill" course) either Sat 6/21 or Sun 6/22/08. Hip better, left knee is sore.

Heat wave mid-June! (100+ midday) Up too late Sat 6/21 & Sun 6/22 to do a training 5K...but went for a training mile record on Sunday morning anyhow: 7:45, Sunwood-to-home gentle downhill. First half-mile (3:45) and flat second (4-min flat). Maybe run a 5K one weekday before work??

Any 5Ks on tap for July 4 weekend? I am debating replacing my usual speedwork with the 5K out in Pacific Palisades or in San Marino.

Yep, my usual 5K 2 miles from my house, in Anaheim Hills. PR here in 1993. PR + 2 sec 2005!

My typical best would have been 3rd in 2006 when I hurt my hip...(grr)

Last year I was 4th of 9 in my M55-59 division. (Darn that George M. from Sun City!!)

It is chip-timed, self start (bizarre) on track of Canyon HS, out onto boring asphalt out-and-back on Santa Ana Canyon Rd, with small crowds at intersections; finishing on same track (sprint, anyone??) Biggest drawback was late start (HOT @ 8 am) but this year & last earlier 7:30.

Since you are not male 55-59, you would be welcome to attend.

www.chccanaheim.com

I am "go" for a Training 5K PR (25 min??) record this Sat.

========================================================

ha ha!! That sounds like a very interesting race indeed. Self-timed?!

I am going to try my hand at the local race in San Marino. The course is actually an area I've run on many times. It's slightly hilly but should make for an interesting race. Plus it's a very short drive. If my husband weren't coming along, I'd actually jog there!

======================================================

The short drive is now a good choice. Sorry but I've had enough hills this past year (ERA, Get Fit and CDM all had huge ones.)

No, no: "self-start", chip-timed from when you cross mat. 10K'ers went first, followed by overanxious 5K'ers, and the the rest dribbled across start mat for about ten minutes.

Made the division placing tricky: they tried to say "gun time" would determine (easier) but there wasn't any "gun"! Elite runners took no chances and immediately followed the 10K starters.

Dan

That's pretty funny!!! Well, the 5K I'm doing on Friday is definitely a community affair. No chips involved. I'd be surprised if they have actual timing. I'd just like to see how close I can get to breaking 23. There is one big hill right about mile 2.5 and then a screaming downhill to the finish, so my time will depend on how recovered I am from the hill and how much I can go for broke at the end. Exciting!

Sadly no timing (and no posted results) is why I stopped running City of Hope 5K (it was flat & fast on Duarte streets near 605); now it's just a "walk & leisure walk" event (Nov 9).

Catchup:

OCT 2008

Discussed leg cramps in Long Beach Marathon with Alicia Dingsdale and she could not believe I ran with no training...

DEC 2008

Santa 5K in December horrible due to the COLD: knees ached,

feet frozen! Lucky to make 27 mins.

FEB 2009

Missed Race/Base due to work --woulda been 3rd w/sub-26:30!!

Ran Brea 8K first time since 2004 and beat my 2004 time by 16 secs; only off 2002 best by 10 secs! Talk about consistent...

Kellogg 5000 (training 5K) scheduled this Sun 3/1, looking for a

new training record of sub-27-min.

Kellogg 5000 postponed to 3/8/09 due to getting up too late (hot!) - ran two half-miles, first THIRD FASTEST training half-mile ever at 3:40:53! Will try to duplicate/surpass Sat 3/7 pm.

Dragged my carcass up on Sunday to run. Hard when you're working one job 40 hrs a week and a 2nd one 32 hrs (Sun will be 2nd weekend worked both days)...

Training 5K a bit disappointing: sunny but cool (great running weather) but a little congested and the chill air was bothering my breathing most of the run.

Set a new training mile record of 7:53.97 (3:57.71 out, 3:56.2 back!);

old record was 8:03 set 8/3/08. Today's date: 3/8!

Paid for it on rest of run: next 2 miles much slower than average!

Next week the Coaster Run.5K: "This time, ...it's for real!"

Only a handful of cohorts know I have a second job as a Security Guard...trying not to upset primary employer which thinks it owns me. I must have walked about eight miles last Sunday on duty, plus the 5K a.m. On a typical Tuesday night, I might average 5 or 6 miles walking at current post, a large commercial site.

Tell me about it. I'm currently working close to 80 hours myself. This is the first time I've signed on to Athlinks in months! I broke my toe in December (can't remember if I told you that) so I was off running for nearly two months. Still planning to run Boston, albeit much slower. As long as I can come in under 4 hours I will feel good about myself.

Doing Pasadena half tomorrow. How did Coaster Run go?

Hi, Alicia. Coaster was OK 26:13 course (26:33 official=20 seconds fighting to start line. About as expected. My second job is good and bad: lots of brisk walking really strengthening calves and building stamina, but wearing me out on weekends and interfering with practice runs! Skipping Carlsbad working on 4/5 so next race not until May 3rd. Trying not to work Sundays so I can ideally get my practice 5Ks down to 25 minutes like 2005.

(Sabotaged myself March 8th with a PR training first mile!!)

I am determined to get back to 24-minute 5Ks this year!

No - which toe?? Which foot?? Looks like it only slowed you down a couple of minutes yesterday in Pasadena! Are you up

for April 20th or did the toe do in your training?

Dan

Whatta pila poop. Had to work Sun may 3rd morning (instead of PM!) and missed the PCRF (Reaching for theCure) 5K! The *real* poop: because elite ran OCM 5K that morning, my typical time would've placed me FIRST IN DIVISION! Arrrgggghhhh!

Of course I won't get scheduled to work Memorial Day, Monday May 25th, when the best I can expect in Laguna Hills is 8th; for double-time-and-a-half ($$$!) I would skip *that* race.

Grumpy Dan

Ran a good race Memorial Day: missed mile marker 1 and thought I was running a *really* slow first mile. So 2-mile time

of 17 flat a pleasant surprise. Entire 3rd mile except very end is a huge downhill, so managed 26:11 fastest YTD. Only 14th div due to plethora of speedsters . I have scheduled a Training 5K run

(security work permitting!) for Sunday June 14th.(Missing my choice of Downtown Anaheim / Magic Shoe 5Ks on Sat 6/13 to

earn $106 working a.m.) Still hoping for a sub-25 on July 4th.