The Long Run

Halloween Halfathon

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Location:

FL,

Member Since:

Mar 20, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

PR's:

  • 1 mile : 5:43 (3/2017)
  • 5K : 18:34 (12/2011)
  • 5 mile : 32:03 (5/2010)
  • 10K : 39:29 (11/2013)
  • 11K: 46:47 (July 2008)
  • Half Marathon : 1:26:47 (11/2012)
  • Marathon : 3:06:34 (02/2010)
  • 50K Trail: 4:34 (01/2012)
  • 50 Mile: 8:34:48 (4/2012)
  • 100K: 11:06 (2/2012)
  • 100 Mile: 24:19:44 (1/2022)

Marathons:

  • Treasure Coast Marathon (FL) - 3:39:51, Mar 2021
  • Towpath Marathon (OH) - 3:35:26, Oct 2019
  • Jacksonville Marathon - 3:31:10, Dec 2018
  • NYC Marathon - 3:49:12, Nov 2017
  • Marine Corps Marathon - 3:27:00, Oct 2016
  • Utah Valley - Jun 2016
  • Marine Corps Marathon - 3:28:12, Oct 2015
  • Pocatello Marathon (ID) - 3:32:25, Sept 2015
  • Chasing The Unicorn (PA) - 3:31:20, Aug 2015
  • Run for The Red (Poconos) - 3:30:40, May 2015
  • Boston - 3:24:42, Apr 2015
  • Clearwater - 3:27:04, Jan 2015
  • Clearwater - 3:16:17, Jan 2014
  • Boston  - 3:27:00, Apr 2011
  • DesNews - 3:10:57, Jul 2010
  • Gasparilla  - 3:06:34, Feb 2010
  • Space Coast - 3:11:29, Nov 2009
  • Estes Park  (7500' and up) - 3:52:19, Jun 2009
  • Boston - 3:17:22, Apr 2009
  • Niagara Falls - 3:19:21, Oct 2008
  • San Diego RnR  - 3:24:18, Jun 2008
  • Jacksonville Marathon -3:21:24, Dec 2007
  • Chicago Marathon - 3:35:08, Oct 2007
  • Disney Marathon - 3:52:34, Jan 2007

 

 

 

 

Short-Term Running Goals:

 

  • Sub 40:00 10K
  • 2:59 Marathon
  • 1:25 Half Marathon
  • 18:30 5K

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Maintain my health and continuously seek to improve my fitness. Maybe someday get under 3:00 for marathon. More importantly, I'd like to figure out what my maximum ability is and reach that.

I'd also like to find the right balance in life and use running to enhance and improve myself.

 

Personal:

Dad of  three (welcome Charlotte Dani on 8/10/20) awesome kids and stepdad to three almost as awesome as my own kids.

I have a brown dog named Stella, and three cats - Catty, Tortie, and Esperanza.

  (old lines that were a little out of date but couldn't quite bring myself to removing them completely:) Also, have one wonderful brown dog named Sammy and just added a grey tiger cat (Catty) whose life started out rough but now has a better home.

I've recently started another blog so I can easily add lots of pictures and so other non-FRB users can leave comments:

Forward Progress!

 Also, for 2012 I started a blog to write down each day one thing that I am grateful for

Grateful Blog

 

Love living in Florida but love to travel and see the country and rest of the world.

 

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 20.88 Month: 54.08 Year: 342.30
Brooks T7 Lifetime Miles: 202.78
Brooks ST5 Lifetime Miles: 403.91
GoMeb Speed3 Lifetime Miles: 483.77
Brooks Pure Flow Lifetime Miles: 160.60
Brooks Launch(lobster) Lifetime Miles: 782.98
GoMeb Razor Lifetime Miles: 468.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
49.4514.100.901.000.000.000.0065.45
Brooks Launch Miles: 15.01Glycerin 8 Miles: 18.13Nimbus 11 Paris Miles: 16.94
Race: Halloween Halfathon (13.1 Miles) 01:27:05, Place overall: 12, Place in age division: 3
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
1.9113.100.000.000.000.000.0015.01

This morning was the Halloween Halfathon held down in Fort Desoto Park.  It was a promising weekend for a half marathon with yesterday's morning temperature of 62 degrees.  However, since this race is a little farther south, it was a little bit warmer this morning than yesterday morning, about 73 degrees at the start.  But still, it was cooler than last year with just a slight breeze.

Woke up at 4:30, left at the house right at 5:00 and was at the park entrance just before 6:00, then a few more minutes driving inside the park.  Jenny and I already had our bibs, so we just picked up our chips and then had the rest of the time to warm up.  I did just under 2 miles of easy jogging with a few strides thrown in at the end.  I wasn't feeling very fast this morning or overly confident, but I was going to give it my best shot.

Jenny and I lined up in the starting area where we also saw her friend Kathryn and I talked to some people I knew, Pat, who is also doing crazy events like back to back marathons, Iron Mans, 100 mile races, etc, and Roger who looks just like Santa Claus - but Santa who puts in a lot of miles and eats right!

Mile 1 - 6:37

I got up near the front, doing a pretty good job of lining up, as I didn't have to go around too many people.  We were heading into some wind at first, but turned at the end of the parking lot and got out of it.  I was feeling pretty good but not completely warmed up, so I thought I would ease into it.   My hoped for pace was to get on a sub-6:30 pace and try to hold it as long as possible.

Miles 2 and 3 -  6:30, 6:22 (+:22)

The next two miles wind through a wooded area and then come back to the starting line.  I felt good on 2 and then felt faster on mile 3, but as usual, Garmin and the actual mile markers are off by mile 3

Miles 4, 5, and 6 - 6:40, 6:45, 6:40

This stretch is always tough for me, after completing the initial loop, then heading out on the path that runs next to the water.  There were 3 guys in a pack ahead of me, and ahead of them was a lone female who was the 3rd place woman.  I kept the 4 of them in my sights and tried to get into a rhythm.  I did a little bit better job on this stretch than I have before.

Miles 7, 8, and 9 - 6:33, 6:44, 6:39 (+:07)

Just before mile 8 is the turn around for the last stretch back.  I think around mile 6 or 7 was where I finally caught up to 3rd place female (who later turned out to be someone I know kind of and has often beaten me at races).  I think about mile 9, I caught and passed one of the three guys.

Miles 10 - finish - 6:39, 6:26, 6:41, 6:28, :55 (0.15 @ 5:57)

I made it to mile 10 and knew I had a good shot at a PR and could still go under 1:27:00, but I wasn't exactly sure.  Pacing math starts to get kind of fuzzy around this part in the race.  Shortly after the 10 mile sign, a guy cruises by me.  I later talked to him, he told me how he started out slowly, not feeling well, gradually picked it up and ended up having the best race of his life.  Soon, I was at the 11 mile sign and just had a good mile under 6:30.  Helped a little to try and not let the guy that passed me too far ahead even though it didn't look like I could catch him.   Usually, at the 11 mile point, I can pick up the pace and hold it until the finish.  But, I suddenly felt like I was getting run down and had to struggle to hold onto the pace.  Finally, see the 12 mile sign, legs were starting to burn.  Decided not to look at the pace anymore, just look ahead to the next guy.

The race finishes in a parking lot, my watch had just clicked over to 1:26:00.  I wasn't sure how long the last stretch was, but was going to try my best.  I turned the corner and could finally see the clock, it was 1:26:4x something, gave it all I had but could see the clock tick over to 1:27:00.   

A new PR! (after 2 half marathons which were slower), no sub-1:27:00 but I have 3 more of these races between now and March, to go under 1:27:00 and then start edging down towards 1:25.  There were a few miles where I knew I could have pushed a little harder but was afraid to blow up.  I'm very happy with the last mile and finishing kick.  Just need to work on the stuff in between!

Won 3rd place in the masters division (number 2 was about 5 minutes faster than me)

 

Note:  Hurray for chip time! 1:27:05 :)  (gun time was 1:27:07)


Brooks Launch Miles: 15.01
Comments(8)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
9.120.000.000.000.000.000.009.12

I took yesterday morning off.  It was very tempting to run but I'm glad I took the day off.

Ran this morning and did 3 miles with Jenny, then the rest on my own.  My legs were a little bit sore from the race but overall the run felt pretty good.

Average pace: 8:24

After the run, I did my usual Monday morning upper body at home routine (aka better than nothing workout).

Glycerin 8 Miles: 9.12
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
8.040.000.000.000.000.000.008.04

Ran 7 miles with Jenny then 1 more by myself.  Felt a lot better than yesterday, pretty much back to normal.

Average pace: 8:55

Nimbus 11 Paris Miles: 8.04
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
9.010.000.000.000.000.000.009.01

We just missed the rain, roads and sidewalks were wet but it felt pleasant for running.  Went a little bit farther than yesterday.  Ran 7.5 miles with Jenny then a little bit more on my own.

Average pace: 8:30

Glycerin 8 Miles: 9.01
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.900.000.000.000.008.90

Ran by myself in the neighborhood, cool and pleasant run.  Ran the last 0.9 at 6:30 pace.

Average pace: 7:39

Nimbus 11 Paris Miles: 8.90
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
13.371.000.001.000.000.000.0015.37

Ran in Starkey Park this morning.  Arrived about 6:30 and waited in a long line of cars to get in as the park is now opening at 6:30 instead of 6:00.

Felt really cold at the start, it was in the low 40's, literally just got this cold over night, haven't eased into it yet.  But, after about 2 miles it felt a lot better.  My back was a little sore from hauling out a new pool cover the night before and my legs were a bit sore also.  I had started out running with 2 other guys but went so slow I quickly lost sight of them.

At the 4 mile point, I stopped for a drink and to stretch out a little bit.  A bunch of other runners showed up and I ran with them for the next two miles (David, Jamie, Diane and some others), but then they all turned back.  Went out to just after 7.5 mile point and turned around.  Finally, the miles started flowing more easily.  Picked up the pace until the second to last mile where I backed off a bit, then picked it up for the last mile to see how fast I could run after 14 miles, pretty pleased to come in under 6:00 (5:57).

Average pace: 7:46

I was pretty happy to get in 15 miles, because at the start of the run I was seriously considering cutting the run a lot shorter, glad that I didn't do that.

Spent some time chatting a bit at the social hour and then headed home for some delicious home made french toast (made with homemade bread!)

Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
49.4514.100.901.000.000.000.0065.45
Brooks Launch Miles: 15.01Glycerin 8 Miles: 18.13Nimbus 11 Paris Miles: 16.94
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