Yesterday I ran the Kentucky Derby Festival MiniMarathon in Louisville. A couple of years ago, I dropped out of this race at 10 miles because of an IT band (knee) problem.....making this the ONLY race I've ever entered that I failed to finish. Needless to say, its the type of thing you remember.
So, yesterday was definitely vengeance for my previous attempt. I finished in 1:34:36, and as it was about 80 degrees out there on the course, I even allowed myself a couple of 20 to 30 second walk breaks in the second half to make sure I didn't totally blow up in the heat. (My pace through the first 6 miles was 6:50, and my finishing pace was 7:14, so I cost myself a little time....but I made it through in a respectable time, which is fine since I felt a little under-trained for a half marathon). My goal time was 1:28:00, and finished 165th (149th for the men) but I'm fine with where I came in, and think I can keep up my training to run another couple of longer races over the summer.
Other things I learned yesterday: I don't like Orange Vanilla flavor Roctane. WAAAY too sweet for a 6-miles-in recharge. Also, I'm pretty good at keeping my pace while listening to my iPod (which I've never done in a race before....usually just to train). Finally, I learned that it is a bad idea to park downtown with 10,000 other people when a good number of streets heading out of town will be closed after the half marathon for the 2000 people who ran a full marathon in 80-something temps.
Thanks to everyone who cheered for me along the way (KCRS people) and thanks to Camille for the free entry (FF Louisville). And a special congratulations to Ed, who finished his first half marathon yesterday in 2:39!!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
A bit overdue....
...for an update for all you anxious fans out there. I've been busy, and as we are now moving (sold our house, AND bought a new one) to another part of Lexington in the next two months, things are bound to get even busier. Nonetheless, my people deserve to know what is happening in the life of Queep, so here we go:
Our new house is off Richmond Rd, in the Fairway subdivision. We'll live less than half a mile from Coach Calipari's new digs, and the neighborhood looks quiet and peaceful. We close on June 15th, and I'[m already packing since the month of May is going to be a hectic one with lots of Saturday events for work.
I know I've been rather lax in charting my training for next weekend's Louisville Derby Minimarathon, but I promise I've been getting in my miles as best I can. I'm running 15 to 20 miles most weeks, with a couple of weeks closer to 30 (but not many of these weeks). I'm not concerned at all about the distance, but I think I'm going to be slower than my original 1:25:00 prediction. 1:28:00 to 1:30:00 looks like a safe guess now. I checked the results from the past two years, and each year the #100 male finisher was in the 1:28:00 range, so that is what I'd LIKE to run, and what I'll set out to run (and then try and hold on to the pace).
Life is steaming along at the Crawford household, and with Laura starting graduate school the week before we move it looks like this summer may have come and gone before we even know what hit us. Maybe we'll have to plan in advance for some sort of escape from Kentucky during Thanksgiving (which would mean missing my 10-year high school reunion, but I've already expressed my opinion to the organizers that I think Thanksgiving is for family and they could have chosen another time of year).
I don't really have any pictures of any sort to post right now, but maybe I can download pictures from the finish of the half marathon and post them (sorry folks, no Ale8 cape on this one).
Until next time...
Our new house is off Richmond Rd, in the Fairway subdivision. We'll live less than half a mile from Coach Calipari's new digs, and the neighborhood looks quiet and peaceful. We close on June 15th, and I'[m already packing since the month of May is going to be a hectic one with lots of Saturday events for work.
I know I've been rather lax in charting my training for next weekend's Louisville Derby Minimarathon, but I promise I've been getting in my miles as best I can. I'm running 15 to 20 miles most weeks, with a couple of weeks closer to 30 (but not many of these weeks). I'm not concerned at all about the distance, but I think I'm going to be slower than my original 1:25:00 prediction. 1:28:00 to 1:30:00 looks like a safe guess now. I checked the results from the past two years, and each year the #100 male finisher was in the 1:28:00 range, so that is what I'd LIKE to run, and what I'll set out to run (and then try and hold on to the pace).
Life is steaming along at the Crawford household, and with Laura starting graduate school the week before we move it looks like this summer may have come and gone before we even know what hit us. Maybe we'll have to plan in advance for some sort of escape from Kentucky during Thanksgiving (which would mean missing my 10-year high school reunion, but I've already expressed my opinion to the organizers that I think Thanksgiving is for family and they could have chosen another time of year).
I don't really have any pictures of any sort to post right now, but maybe I can download pictures from the finish of the half marathon and post them (sorry folks, no Ale8 cape on this one).
Until next time...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Great sadness ensues....
Everyone knows I've been excited for pretty much the last 8 months that I was going to try and run the Mt. Washington Race this summer (7.6 miles, average grade of 12.2%). Well.....I am NOT going to be running the Mt. Washington Race this summer, since I did not get picked in the lottery. Even worse, my dreams of being the first KY finisher in years is most certainly dashed to pieces as two other people from KY DID get chosen in the lottery.
What a bummer!!!
Now I have to decide what to do with all the incline training I've been doing. I've still got the Louisville MiniMarathon coming up in late April (entry is confirmed.....I think) but then I need to find some sort of crazy event to get me through the summer. So.....if you come across anything cool in your own home town (ahem, Papillion, cough), and you don't mind putting me up for the night (I'll pay for my Cheerios if need be) I suppose I'm a mercenary for hire on the road racing front.
Until next time......
What a bummer!!!
Now I have to decide what to do with all the incline training I've been doing. I've still got the Louisville MiniMarathon coming up in late April (entry is confirmed.....I think) but then I need to find some sort of crazy event to get me through the summer. So.....if you come across anything cool in your own home town (ahem, Papillion, cough), and you don't mind putting me up for the night (I'll pay for my Cheerios if need be) I suppose I'm a mercenary for hire on the road racing front.
Until next time......
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Only the Good Die Young...
Friday night my dad came into town to spend the weekend with us and help out with a couple of home improvement projects. We were lazy and went to dinner at Johnny Carino's, but it was pretty tasty, so I don't feel too bad about it.
Just after 10 PM Laura and I drove over to a bar on Malibu for some Karaoke with her friends, and ended up frying our vocal chords to dust. Just in case you want to imagine the glory of it all, last night's Karaoke line-up for me included:
"Ain't Goin' Down til the Sun Comes Up" in the style of Garth Brooks (as they say in Karaoke).
"Only the Good die Young" in the style of Billy Joel
"Roxanne" in the style of The Police
"Strokin' " in the style of Clarence Carter
"Crocodile Rock" in the style of Elton John
Laura turned it all the way to 11 and sang such famous face melters as "Black Velvet", "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (the smash hit of the night), and "If I Could Turn Back Time" (in the style of Jack from "Will and Grace")
Overall I'd say it was a good night, certainly our late night out for Q1 2009, with a final "to bed" time of about 1:37 AM.
The rest of the weekend has been a whirlwind of house stuff. We've made some serious progress on projects in both bathrooms, as well as the dining room. Dad is certainly a workhorse when you give him a job, a pile of tools, and the occasional (but honestly not too occasional) break for a sandwich.
Tonight we went to Audrey's for dinner. She and Andrew made lasagna and garlic bread that really hit the spot after a full day, and we topped it off with some caramel apple pie from Missy's. Now it's finally time to wind down and relax for an hour or so before the work week starts all over again.
Just after 10 PM Laura and I drove over to a bar on Malibu for some Karaoke with her friends, and ended up frying our vocal chords to dust. Just in case you want to imagine the glory of it all, last night's Karaoke line-up for me included:
"Ain't Goin' Down til the Sun Comes Up" in the style of Garth Brooks (as they say in Karaoke).
"Only the Good die Young" in the style of Billy Joel
"Roxanne" in the style of The Police
"Strokin' " in the style of Clarence Carter
"Crocodile Rock" in the style of Elton John
Laura turned it all the way to 11 and sang such famous face melters as "Black Velvet", "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (the smash hit of the night), and "If I Could Turn Back Time" (in the style of Jack from "Will and Grace")
Overall I'd say it was a good night, certainly our late night out for Q1 2009, with a final "to bed" time of about 1:37 AM.
The rest of the weekend has been a whirlwind of house stuff. We've made some serious progress on projects in both bathrooms, as well as the dining room. Dad is certainly a workhorse when you give him a job, a pile of tools, and the occasional (but honestly not too occasional) break for a sandwich.
Tonight we went to Audrey's for dinner. She and Andrew made lasagna and garlic bread that really hit the spot after a full day, and we topped it off with some caramel apple pie from Missy's. Now it's finally time to wind down and relax for an hour or so before the work week starts all over again.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
50 Degrees
How great is it to be able to run outside after a full week on the treadmill? It is quite great indeed.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Training update
The half marathon training is rocking along, I suppose. All 4 workouts this week were on the treadmill, which is really boring but when it comes to the 4 days I ran this week, two were at night after long work days, and two were on days when it was in the 20's, so I don't feel too bad about it.
For anyone wondering what happened to the pace per mile on Wednesday: This was the day I decided to put in a little work for the hill climb I want to do this summer (I crank up the treadmill gradually to 15% and then see how long I can keep it there....even if I have to slow down). This week I managed to keep it there for just a couple of minutes.....because the treadmill decided to burn out on me. I really like one of the types of treadmills we have at the Y, but they do overheat from time to time. I've learned (a while ago) that they don't do very well if you want to crank it over 10 MPH, and I've learned more recently that inclines of 14 to 15% will stall the think out pretty quickly too.
Oh well.
It's supposed to warm up here mid-week and I just broke in a new pair of 769's on my 8 miler tonight, so I'll probably try and get back to increasing my long run sometime soon. I think I'm really just going to train like it's a full marathon ( see if I can work my long run up over 20 miles) and see if that helps drop my half marathon time down where I want it. To those familiar with the concept of "race weight," I'm admittedly a couple of pounds over. Laura doesn't like when I talk about it, but she's agreed that I am "allowed" to weigh the weight I'm shooting for (160). Today's morning weight was 170.6, and post-run weight of 166.0 (of course, then I came home and drank some water and ate half a pizza). It is, after all, a process.
I'm not allowed to approach my 2005 post-Columbus marathon weight of 148. The first thing Laura said to me after my very first marathon was "if I ever have to identify your body....I'll know what you'll look like". I don't remember what I said in response, but I imagine it was something to the extent of "I love you too".
That's enough bleeble blurble from me for one night.
For anyone wondering what happened to the pace per mile on Wednesday: This was the day I decided to put in a little work for the hill climb I want to do this summer (I crank up the treadmill gradually to 15% and then see how long I can keep it there....even if I have to slow down). This week I managed to keep it there for just a couple of minutes.....because the treadmill decided to burn out on me. I really like one of the types of treadmills we have at the Y, but they do overheat from time to time. I've learned (a while ago) that they don't do very well if you want to crank it over 10 MPH, and I've learned more recently that inclines of 14 to 15% will stall the think out pretty quickly too.
Oh well.
It's supposed to warm up here mid-week and I just broke in a new pair of 769's on my 8 miler tonight, so I'll probably try and get back to increasing my long run sometime soon. I think I'm really just going to train like it's a full marathon ( see if I can work my long run up over 20 miles) and see if that helps drop my half marathon time down where I want it. To those familiar with the concept of "race weight," I'm admittedly a couple of pounds over. Laura doesn't like when I talk about it, but she's agreed that I am "allowed" to weigh the weight I'm shooting for (160). Today's morning weight was 170.6, and post-run weight of 166.0 (of course, then I came home and drank some water and ate half a pizza). It is, after all, a process.
I'm not allowed to approach my 2005 post-Columbus marathon weight of 148. The first thing Laura said to me after my very first marathon was "if I ever have to identify your body....I'll know what you'll look like". I don't remember what I said in response, but I imagine it was something to the extent of "I love you too".
That's enough bleeble blurble from me for one night.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.....
Today the trucks came through the neighborhood (accompanied by little rolling-tread-claw-grabber-vehicles) to collect the branches from the storm. Luckily I finished dragging them from the back yard yesterday, and had lined them in TWO ROWS, one on each side of the sidewalk (I thought it was better to make two rows each two to three feet tall, rather than one row six feet tall.....not to mention it allows us to see when we back out of the driveway, and thus avoid a totalled car like what happened to Laura's Jeep in 2003).
Okay, enough background. So the truck rolls down the street, and stops in front of our house, and they start with the row of branches closest to the street. Once they get this cleaned up, they get in the truck.......and move off down the street. They totally left the second row of branches laying in my yard. Now I'll switch from narration mode to dialogue mode:
I put on my coat and walk down the street(3 houses) to meet the crew, and locate the head guy.
Pete: If I move the rest of the branches up to the street will you come pick them up?
Municipal worker: Nope. We're not supposed to back up, just keep moving forward.
Pete: If you don't come get them, someone else will have to come back. I'm moving them.
I walk away, back to the house, and start moving the branches. The head guy comes down the street.
Municipal worker: I called another truck to come by and get them.
Pete: When will that happen.
Municipal worker (shrugs): Maybe today.....maybe next week.
Pete: I thought I was doing a nice thing by not making a huge pile...I guess not.
Municipal worker: Well, someone'll be by to get them. (He walks away.)
I finish moving the branches and go into the house. Grab twenty dollars. Walk back down the street (now 5 houses away) and meets the head guy again:
Pete: Here you go.
Municipal Worker: What's this?
Pete: Twenty bucks. Come and get my branches.
Municipal Worker: We're not allowed to go back.
Pete: Fine. You just took my twenty bucks. (I walk away immediately)
Assistant Municipal Worker: We'll get'em for twenty bucks.
Head Municipal Worker: He has to wait for the other truck. (I keep walking)
I'm halfway home when the rolling-grabber-vehicle throws it in reverse and starts coming my way. By the time I hit the front door, the dump truck is also in reverse, and coming back up the street. I wave and say thank you. They take may branches. I hope the head guy shared the cash.
Okay, enough background. So the truck rolls down the street, and stops in front of our house, and they start with the row of branches closest to the street. Once they get this cleaned up, they get in the truck.......and move off down the street. They totally left the second row of branches laying in my yard. Now I'll switch from narration mode to dialogue mode:
I put on my coat and walk down the street(3 houses) to meet the crew, and locate the head guy.
Pete: If I move the rest of the branches up to the street will you come pick them up?
Municipal worker: Nope. We're not supposed to back up, just keep moving forward.
Pete: If you don't come get them, someone else will have to come back. I'm moving them.
I walk away, back to the house, and start moving the branches. The head guy comes down the street.
Municipal worker: I called another truck to come by and get them.
Pete: When will that happen.
Municipal worker (shrugs): Maybe today.....maybe next week.
Pete: I thought I was doing a nice thing by not making a huge pile...I guess not.
Municipal worker: Well, someone'll be by to get them. (He walks away.)
I finish moving the branches and go into the house. Grab twenty dollars. Walk back down the street (now 5 houses away) and meets the head guy again:
Pete: Here you go.
Municipal Worker: What's this?
Pete: Twenty bucks. Come and get my branches.
Municipal Worker: We're not allowed to go back.
Pete: Fine. You just took my twenty bucks. (I walk away immediately)
Assistant Municipal Worker: We'll get'em for twenty bucks.
Head Municipal Worker: He has to wait for the other truck. (I keep walking)
I'm halfway home when the rolling-grabber-vehicle throws it in reverse and starts coming my way. By the time I hit the front door, the dump truck is also in reverse, and coming back up the street. I wave and say thank you. They take may branches. I hope the head guy shared the cash.
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