Thursday, March 1, 2012
70 or so
I hate to start engaging in 1-upsmanship, but here in DC it was 50 and sunny when I headed out to Starbucks at 7 am. I'm just returned from my run, and Yahoo weather tells me it's 68, but those yahoos are out in California, aren't they -- I will swear to 70 or better. Took the long way to the AU track, tested out tempo pace for a little while, then jogged back home.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
After class
Its leap day and in the high 50s. Class ends at 11:15 and I am out of here. Thinking 7 plus south down to the aquarium or planetarium and back.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Interesting Article about Foot Strike
This question has confounded me. Video of me suggests I'm a heel-striker. I've been working on moving to a mid-foot strike. It feels very strong to land further forward on the foot. But my arches currently hurt in ways they never have, and I'm worried. On the other hand, there's Ted's experience, which supports moving forward. On the other hand, video of Craig Alexander running toward his third win in Ironman Kona shows a subtle heel strike, not unlike my own (but, of course, 2+ minutes/mile faster than my IM run split). On the other hand, video of Miranda Carfrae, the best runner in women's long course triathlon, shows a mid-foot strike.
You know, nobody ever questioned my form playing darts in a bar. Well, somebody actually did once, but there wasn't a plethora of articles to bolster the debate. Maybe I'm in the wrong sport.
You know, nobody ever questioned my form playing darts in a bar. Well, somebody actually did once, but there wasn't a plethora of articles to bolster the debate. Maybe I'm in the wrong sport.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
The WTF Marathon
The origins of this blog lie in the 2009 Antitrust Marathon IV, where Spencer, Phil, Max and I each ran the Dublin Marathon, and, the next day participated in an excellent conference sponsored by the Spencer's Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies, Phil's British Institute of International and Comparative Law and the Irish Competition Authority. I've been hoping for another such event ever since, but so far the gang has not reconvened. Spencer and I, however, continue to conspire, and last Fall Spencer announced his intention to run the Hamptons Marathon in late September. I initially thought I'd run it with him, but then I got into the New York Marathon, so my plans changed.
We continued chatting, however, and when the time came, it occurred to me that a 20 miler was on my training schedule, and what better way to run 20 than to pace Spencer for part of the Marathon. Spencer and I have done this before. When Spencer ran NYC a few years back, I met him at mile 7 and ran with him to Mile 18. It was great fun, and, when I got tired, pulled off, walked to the subway and went home. Why not just do the same thing again? I thought.
So, I got in the car Friday afternoon, drove out to Easthampton, met Spencer, and looked at the course map. When I looked at the map, I realized there was a problem. The eastern edge of Long Island does not have a subway system. Also, the way the course was laid out, if I ran 20 with Spencer, I'd still have to walk 4 miles to get back to the start. What to do? Well, of course, there was only one answer, sign up on race day and run the whole thing.
This was a first on lots of levels. I've never run a small marathon. I've never run a marathon with somebody else. It was great fun. Spencer and I chatted the whole way, made bunches of friends, walked the water stops, ate snacks, and generally had a great time until about mile 19. At that point Spencer decided that he needed to focus on getting to the finish, so he banished me to my own final push.
I have always bought into the orthodoxy that marathoners should not run marathons as training runs. Now I'm not so sure. Hamptons was six weeks before NYC, and I felt no ill effects. Indeed, I think it helped.
I also enjoyed running a small race. I've never been a big fan of crowd scenes, and big races are, well, big crowd scenes. We just took a shuttle from the hotel to the start, ran the race, shuttled back to the hotel, and voila. Also, I have to give Spencer credit for finding accommodations. The hotel had a great pool and hot tub overlooking the ocean. We took an hour or so to recover, and then went out for lobster rolls.
Below are two photos from the race. In this one, you can see Spencer on my left. We had a great time!
We continued chatting, however, and when the time came, it occurred to me that a 20 miler was on my training schedule, and what better way to run 20 than to pace Spencer for part of the Marathon. Spencer and I have done this before. When Spencer ran NYC a few years back, I met him at mile 7 and ran with him to Mile 18. It was great fun, and, when I got tired, pulled off, walked to the subway and went home. Why not just do the same thing again? I thought.
So, I got in the car Friday afternoon, drove out to Easthampton, met Spencer, and looked at the course map. When I looked at the map, I realized there was a problem. The eastern edge of Long Island does not have a subway system. Also, the way the course was laid out, if I ran 20 with Spencer, I'd still have to walk 4 miles to get back to the start. What to do? Well, of course, there was only one answer, sign up on race day and run the whole thing.
This was a first on lots of levels. I've never run a small marathon. I've never run a marathon with somebody else. It was great fun. Spencer and I chatted the whole way, made bunches of friends, walked the water stops, ate snacks, and generally had a great time until about mile 19. At that point Spencer decided that he needed to focus on getting to the finish, so he banished me to my own final push.
I have always bought into the orthodoxy that marathoners should not run marathons as training runs. Now I'm not so sure. Hamptons was six weeks before NYC, and I felt no ill effects. Indeed, I think it helped.
I also enjoyed running a small race. I've never been a big fan of crowd scenes, and big races are, well, big crowd scenes. We just took a shuttle from the hotel to the start, ran the race, shuttled back to the hotel, and voila. Also, I have to give Spencer credit for finding accommodations. The hotel had a great pool and hot tub overlooking the ocean. We took an hour or so to recover, and then went out for lobster rolls.
Below are two photos from the race. In this one, you can see Spencer on my left. We had a great time!
And I was still smiling at the end!!
I've never thought of myself as somebody who casually got up in the morning to run a marathon. Who knew? I'd happily do it again, at least if I had Spencer to keep me company!
Cold Weather Racing
I've decided to qualify for the NYC Marathon in 2013 by running 9 races. To do this, I'm going to have to run a bunch of races in the winter and early Spring. This should be interesting, because I'm not used to racing in what is usually the "off season." I think it's going to hurt.
It's February, though, and I already have two races under my belt.
The first was the Manhattan Half Marathon. I'm not sure whether this counts as a race, or just as one of those crazy things runners do from time to time. The race was on January 21, and started well into a blizzard. Actually, the race was cancelled, sort of. They turned off the timing mats, and deemed it a "fun run." By the time the race started, there was already an inch or so of snow on the ground, and things only got worse as the race continued. This was probably one of the hardest races I've ever run. The footing was lousy the whole way. Climbing the hills of central park was arduous, running down was treacherous. Of course, I'd do it again in a heart beat.
The second was a 4-miler in Prospect Park. I almost never run short races. Now I remember why. It takes me a while to warm up, so, even though I went for a warm up jog, the first mile of a hard fast run is really uncomfortable as my heart rate comes up, particularly when, as this one did, the biggest hill is in the first mile. This time, the second and third miles were fine, but the fourth, I really began to feel my legs. My time was respectable, but not where I thought it should be. On the whole, I finished feeling a bit grouchy. Next week there's a 5K in Washington Heights. I think I'll have another go at speed work.
It's February, though, and I already have two races under my belt.
The first was the Manhattan Half Marathon. I'm not sure whether this counts as a race, or just as one of those crazy things runners do from time to time. The race was on January 21, and started well into a blizzard. Actually, the race was cancelled, sort of. They turned off the timing mats, and deemed it a "fun run." By the time the race started, there was already an inch or so of snow on the ground, and things only got worse as the race continued. This was probably one of the hardest races I've ever run. The footing was lousy the whole way. Climbing the hills of central park was arduous, running down was treacherous. Of course, I'd do it again in a heart beat.
The second was a 4-miler in Prospect Park. I almost never run short races. Now I remember why. It takes me a while to warm up, so, even though I went for a warm up jog, the first mile of a hard fast run is really uncomfortable as my heart rate comes up, particularly when, as this one did, the biggest hill is in the first mile. This time, the second and third miles were fine, but the fourth, I really began to feel my legs. My time was respectable, but not where I thought it should be. On the whole, I finished feeling a bit grouchy. Next week there's a 5K in Washington Heights. I think I'll have another go at speed work.
10. Equilibrium is only a run away
I've been pulling my hair out trying to find a profound lesson from running to finish my top 10. I was set to copy Spencer, whose number 1 -- running is supposed to be fun -- sort of says it all. But Spencer said that, and he was and is right. My top lesson (which I've assigned number 10, not being enough of a Letterman fan to get the order right) is that running takes a tough week and sets the world right.
Last week was a tough week, for reasons that are a little unclear to me. Not teaching is amazingly stressful, because I have no good reason not to be producing a lot. I owe one friend a draft that I promised, well, too long ago to admit. I enjoyed a great trip to Chicago, with a top notch symposium put on by the Loyola Consumer Law Review. But my talk, which went about the way I wanted it to, was probably more of a colloquium talk than a symposium talk. The landing at National Airport was exciting, for a euphemism, and I'm a little edgy in an airplane in the best of circumstances. And I've been off on my training program, a run or two behind for the week, and in danger of falling into one of those ruts from which it's hard to get back out for some good miles.
Not long after noon I laced up the hyper speeds and followed Military into Rock Creek, then down the hill on Ridge Road to the start of Beach Drive. Up Beach all the way, over the ridge where Wise Road intersects, then back down into the creek valley, picking up the bike trail. Followed that across East-West Highway and up past the beltway, then back left on the Beach Drive horseshoe, heading west across Montgomery County. (This part was new to me -- I ride up here regularly, but running past East West is very rare, and I've never made it to this part of Beach Drive.)
Beach intersects Connecticut, which I followed south into Kensington, then back west on the Capital Crescent Trail to Bethesda. From there, south on Wisconsin to the DC line and follow Western back to my hood. Finally, a little loop through the neighborhood to catch a few hills and add a mile or so before returning home. Didn't have my watch -- I would have guessed a bit over 2 hours -- and mapmyrun.com suggests it was 16.5 miles. The result, of course, is that any worries -- what were they, again? -- have melted away.
I think I'll spend the rest of the day with a beer and a pad of paper for brainstorming. Maybe if I get lucky I'll fall asleep. That's equilibrium for you.
Last week was a tough week, for reasons that are a little unclear to me. Not teaching is amazingly stressful, because I have no good reason not to be producing a lot. I owe one friend a draft that I promised, well, too long ago to admit. I enjoyed a great trip to Chicago, with a top notch symposium put on by the Loyola Consumer Law Review. But my talk, which went about the way I wanted it to, was probably more of a colloquium talk than a symposium talk. The landing at National Airport was exciting, for a euphemism, and I'm a little edgy in an airplane in the best of circumstances. And I've been off on my training program, a run or two behind for the week, and in danger of falling into one of those ruts from which it's hard to get back out for some good miles.
Not long after noon I laced up the hyper speeds and followed Military into Rock Creek, then down the hill on Ridge Road to the start of Beach Drive. Up Beach all the way, over the ridge where Wise Road intersects, then back down into the creek valley, picking up the bike trail. Followed that across East-West Highway and up past the beltway, then back left on the Beach Drive horseshoe, heading west across Montgomery County. (This part was new to me -- I ride up here regularly, but running past East West is very rare, and I've never made it to this part of Beach Drive.)
Beach intersects Connecticut, which I followed south into Kensington, then back west on the Capital Crescent Trail to Bethesda. From there, south on Wisconsin to the DC line and follow Western back to my hood. Finally, a little loop through the neighborhood to catch a few hills and add a mile or so before returning home. Didn't have my watch -- I would have guessed a bit over 2 hours -- and mapmyrun.com suggests it was 16.5 miles. The result, of course, is that any worries -- what were they, again? -- have melted away.
I think I'll spend the rest of the day with a beer and a pad of paper for brainstorming. Maybe if I get lucky I'll fall asleep. That's equilibrium for you.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
A Blogging Resolution
For each of us to get two new members or contributors during 2012. I already know my first recruit based on yesterday's terrific consumer law conference at Loyola. Good job Max on challenging the audience of consumer advocates to think about antitrust as a tool to deal with the mortgage crisis.
Now Get Busy Finding More of Us for the Blog!
Now Get Busy Finding More of Us for the Blog!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)