New PR @ Grant Park Shade Festival 5K

http://gpconservancy.org/node/15

 

I have raced the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival 5K the past three years.  While I wasn't explicitly trying for a new PR I did think I stood a chance as lately I've been keeping a pretty quick pace with my training.  The course however is a bit hilly, and I've discovered that near the end of a race I just can't run downhill fast enough to make up for a slow uphill.

 

I did the first mile at a 7:16 split.  I think a little too fast as I had to recover some for the second mile.  I was able to pick up the third a little and have a strong finish - some 4 seconds faster than my previous PR.

 

Next up: Run for Research 10K Sep 20.

New Distance PR 13.9 mi

The past few days I have been working fairly hard on medium distance, doing "fast" 5 milers on the treadmill at work Thursday and Friday evenings.  Saturday I did a 6 mile Galloway run in the fastest pace group (I was a guest of one of the group leaders).  Last night I felt so beat I had to go to bed early.

The rain overnight started me afresh though.

I wanted a change of "pace" so I drove up to the Freedom Partk PATH in an attempt to follow it for a few miles.  The portion of the path through the park was a nobrainer but when the path emptied onto the streets there is practically no marking.  I quickly fell off the path and just did a scenic run to Decatur.  Thanks to the Forerunner I was able to pick my way back through the neighborhoods to get back home (took a different route back).

I intended really to just do another medium distance run at pace, but quickly discovered running hard was not in the works today.  However, I felt great jogging at about a 10:00 pace (slowing some to average 10:30) so I just went with it.

In all, it felt great but should've looked up some waterfountains or brought a drink.  Wound up drinking from two different water hoses at various construction sites.

I will take a day or two off but need to keep my training strong for the final ~5 weeks or so before marathon taper.

Running Hot

The past two weeks have brought the heat down in the ATL.  I've been doing a lot of running indoors, including the treadmill and elliptical.  I (barely) completed a 10 miler sunday, mostly limited I think by a tanked-up stomach and some leg cramping (lets hope anyway).  I ran strong on the treadmill today, averaging a 8:20 pace or so with 2% incline... and NOTHING on TV.

 

Leading up to the Chicago Marathon are the Grant Park 5K, the US 10K Classic and the Buckhead Sizzler 10K.  I also just learned of another 10K (officially certified) to support research at Grady.  All these 10K's hopefully will help keep my pace-training on track.

 

I'm also approaching the marathon with a little weight loss in mind.  Hopefully I can dump about 10-15 lbs the next 6 weeks to make the run all the easier... we'll see...

Democracy, human rights a backburner issue in Beijing

The 2008 Olympic Summer Games had what most would agree was the most awe-inspiring Opening Ceremonies.  Truly a gargantuan assemblage of human capital and technology to make it fly and it went off without a hitch.  Some would even say it was intimidating to Americans to see such a demonstration of national ability and pride by another country, and a red country nonetheless.

 

However a story that quickly fell of the radar to Page 6 news seems to overshadow the whole affair: Joey Cheek (2006 Winter Olympic Gold Medalist in 500m speedskating) was denied his travel visa to China just hours before his trip.  Also refused for travel include Kendra Zanotto (2004 USA Synchronized Swimming Team), Chris Boyles (decathalon and soccer), and Brad Greiner (Water Polo turned model turned activist co-founder of TeamDarfur.org).  From what everyone can tell, and what is public information, it looks like the only reason for the visa revokation was the three's involvement in TeamDarfur.org, a human rights website promoting awareness and peace in Darfur.  The Website was founded by Cheek and Greiner, among others.  It has a following of over 400 registered world-class athletes who have signed up in support.

 

The Chinese Government has taken heat for multi billion-dollar investments in Sudan (mostly for oil) while ignoring the humanitarian crisis, many say they are enablers of the genocide.  China denies wrongdoing of course.  It is a huge hypocrisy to host the Olympic Games and disallow peaceful activism.  Somehow this made news on the TV networks for about an hour then I never heard anything more.  I almost assumed it had been resolved.  I feel like the world media outlets have a greater responsibility to the people to carry this story a little further.  NBC I am disappointed.

 

 

 

 

Decatur Run

This morning did a nice 9-miler to Decatur from the house, ending at Sweet Melissa's for a great omlette.  Was fairly warm and humid out, and despite the dry-cool socks I was wearing still got soaking wet feet.  Additionally felt a little heavy and slow all morning, probably from the humidity and my crappy diet the past 3 days (eating out nearly every meal).  If you check my MotionBased record of the run (left pane) you'll see I had a few long pauses for water and even a short walking spell.

 

I've got a long way to go for the marathon.