Heroes Half Marathon (Dirt Road Half Marathon)

9/16/12 I woke up at 5:30 am and only getting a few hours sleep after getting back from UGA game . Wasn't really in the mood to run a halfm but needed the 13 miles to finish up my first 100 mile week . Got to race on time but feeling ill after some gels I took . Didn't have time to warm up but was gonna let my first mile of race be my warm up . I was very curious about the course cause the website said it was 4 miles on dirt roads , 1 mile on trail and 8 on road . I emailed the director and he told me that the dirt roads are packed hard without much gravel so I took a chance and registered . I was looking for a half to run my marathon goal pace ( 5:45 ) .
Before the start they had a helicopter fly over which was cool . We start the race and I led from the start . Going through the trails at first with a 6:00 first mile then we hit the dirt roads . Man oh man at the gravel on the roads. I had to watch nearly every step cause it's not fun stepping on s rock with running flats on . I was hitting some miles at 5:35 to 5:45 at times . Finally hit pavement after 4 miles . We ran around Atlanta Motor Speedway then hit dirt roads AGAIN !!! . Feeling comfortable and didn't wanna rush the pace . I wanted to but trying to hold back . At a turn around on the gravel road I nearly hit the dirt sliding . At mike 12 I think I ran 5:35 but last mile I had to run back through the trails again which I slowed to a 5:56 last mile . Finished with a 1:14:50 which I was happy about . I hated it was a hilly , rocky course cause I didn't wanna struggle to hold a 5:45 pace but I needed to get the legs dialed in for that pace . Afterwards I did a 5 mile cool down at 6:45 pace .
The race was part of the Wounded Warriors Project and was glad to take part in the race to help support our fallen troops . The coolest thing of it all was part of my overall award is that I got to fly in the fly over Huey Helicopter . I was able to take a passenger with me whom it was Asa Peed who works at Run Fit Sports . We flew over Atlanta Speedway . Awesome day plus breaking 100 miles for first time with 105 .
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/223507391

My mileage superstition

Today I realized something on my long run that I've been doing for quit sometime now . I was plan on doing a 23 mile long run but I said to myself " 23 is an odd number to end a run with ". . I don't end any run with an odd number except for 5 . Examples are 1,3,7,9,11,13,17 and on , and on . So today I ended my long run with 24 . Something I've had a habit of doing . My own somewhat of a superstition . Might seem odd to most people but I'm sure every runner has something of their own . God Bless

Race Calendar

June23rd Indian Springs Triathlon
July 4th Peachtree 10k
Start marathon Training for New York
Sept 3rd Labor Day 5k
Sept 22nd Corporate Challenge 5k*
Oct 3rd 131 Atlanta Half Marathon
Nov 3rd New York City Marathon (2:32 Goal)

5000 track

Yesterday me and Chris Dietrich headed up to Atlanta for the all-comers track and field meet . I was really had my heart set out to run a fast 5k on the track backed with some good quality workouts with a Torture Trail 10k win last weekend of 32:52 . A good time considering the course . I was hoping for a sub 15 . We arrived and I saw Malcolm Campbell and Janet Cherobon Bowman . He told me they was wanted to run low 15 . That was great for me cause I needed a push to get that sub 15 . Janet was there in preparation for her coming up 10000m at the Olympic Trials next week . My first mile goal was 4:50 but soon as we toe the line and through the first half mile I wasn't feeling any pop or turnover in my legs . They were dead . 2:26 first half mile with Janet , Malcolm , Cory Baumann . I knew I was in trouble . First mile was 4:52 and I was struggling . Felt like I was running a 3k . After 6 laps I died and fell back off pace with the gang going by . Second mile was 9:59 . I ripped my jersey off and threw it along side of the track in discuss plus the humidity was making it feel uncomfortable . I never thought about dropping out of any of my races but this one I came close to . But I always say " Finish what you start ". My last mile was 5:01 and I finished up third behind Janet 15:36 . She ran 15:21 . 6 years ago I ran a PR here of 14:34. A long way from those days. I was really wanted to run along side her bit Cory managed to help pace her to a PR . Malcolm was there to help pace her through 3k and jumped off the track . Not sure what happened to me . Humidity was around 70%+ and temps was mid 80's . Chris ran his first sub 5:00 mile at 4:55 high . Got a 5k this weekend on the road and hopefully redeem myself .

Today's 5k

The past two weeks I've been training pretty consistent after a bad 5k on May 5th . The weather was warm and I started off too fast with a 4:45 first mile . I knew I was too fast after 1.5 miles into it . Mark Kushinka wasnt too far behind me . If he was there I wouldn't finished under 16 . My plan for today's race was to take it out conservative . It's hard to do that sometimes when adrenaline is pumping .
I arrived early today in Forsyth for the Connie Slaughter Memorial 5k . My goal was 15:30 . Wondering if I would get that mark on this fast course I recognized a runner from a race a couple of years ago . No doubt it was Sean Burris a pretty fast runner . Kinda glad he showed up to push me through a fast race . I wanted to stayed focused on my first mile and not run his race from the gun . I looked at my Garmin through the first 1/4 mile and we was running 5:20ish pace . I decided to pull from him alittle due to a slow start then he pulled beside me . We went through the first mile in 5:00 flat and we stayed together until the 2nd mile where he tried a little surge . I was feeling good so no need to worry about the surge . I've been running long enough to know surges are short lived from a mile out . I catch back up with him . He starts to pull away from 600 yards out and I'm trying to hang but couldn't . We finished with a lap on the high school track at Mary Persons . He came in at 15:16 ahead of my 15:21 . At my age now it's all about trying to stay fit instead of winning right now . A year and a half from being masters and I'm gonna need to stay this way till then hopefully .

Great week of training

Last weeks training nearly put me in the ditch . Started getting fatigued and wore out . Last weeks workouts was a 15 Miler @ 5:52 pace which the last 10 miles @ 5:45 . 8x2:30 hard 1:30 easy ( I cut rest down from my normal 2:00 ) then followed two days later with a 4x2 mile tempo @ 10:30 each ( pushed the pace which I shouldn't have ) . I was feeling dead the next day . Mayb I needed a week like that , mayb not . I was forcing myself to push beyond what I was capable of that week and leaving myself drained . I didn't reach my goal that Saturday in a 5k so and pushing my workouts . Always wanna feel like you can continue with a workout when you are finished with your goal workout that day but easy said than done for me . My tempo and fartlek left my bent over . With a 20 miler @ a slower pace (6:20) and 6x1k @ 4k pace left me feeling energized this week . Gate River Run 15k is this weekend . Goal is to win age division and see how I square up against the masters .

Two / Twenty / Twelve

I woke up Monday morning wondering if I should do a 800 track workout or just a Monafartlek workout since I have a 5k saturday . So i decided to go with mona . It was one of my better workouts . But I was worried about Julie during workout cause she was hurting . Luckily she had an appointment that day at 1:30 and she had her mom to drive her. Time was around the corner anyway . She was having contractions throughout the day . Soon as I was heading out driveway she called and said " Pack your bags , its time ". Heading to hospital wondering what we are gonna have . Boy/Girl ?? I said a prayer asking God that no matter what we have Im still gonna love it the same . Well Callie Rae Black was born at 11:36pm 2/20/12 . Prettiest little thing . Just like her sisters . Girls are having a fit over her . They are on couch with her now . They are going to be a big help . Not sure if anyone has seen the TV series Last Man Standing but sure thats how my life will be like .Funny show . Very blessed to have three beautiful girls and a nice