Two random

thoughts for Thursday.

- I sent the following email to the LW today from work:

Okay, I admit it.

I've seen a bunch of people out running/jogging over the past couple of days.

I've felt REALLY BAD that I haven't run all week.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing.

I know logically: I ran a half-marathon on Sunday. My foot has some nasty blisters that need to heal. I have worked out and I'm going to cycle in tomorrow.

But I still feel like I should be running!!!!

I think I have a problem.

- Littleman's new bike. Holy cow. The kid's a speed demon!

Stuttgart Half Marathon

The observant among you may have noticed the added Personal Record in the left column. It's not hard to record a new PR when it's your first race at the distance!

Looking back at previous posts, you may also realize that 2:03:18 isn't quite the time I was hoping for. Honestly, as the race went, I'm quite happy with it. It was a lot of fun, and very crowded (well over 15,000 runners). Complete with samba bands, cheerleaders (yes, German cheerleaders I'm not kidding). But I get ahead of myself.

We left the house and took the train which was fine, except as we got closer and closer to the start the train got more and more crowded. While the race wasn't as big as last year's Marine Corps Marathon, unlike the DC Metro the Stuttgart transit system didn't throw on any extra trains...just the normal Sunday schedule (i.e. one every 30 minutes).

Once we got there things were fine. We made our way to the starting area and had quite a bit of time. More than we expected, since we planned (conservatively of course) to get there 30-45 minutes early. We just didn't expect the 45 minute delay in the start time. It worked out alright though, b/c the LM got to watch the hand bikes warming up (the picture is of a rider getting his medal but you get the idea.) The thing that worried me, was that as we were standing there waiting to start, it just kept getting hotter and hotter.


Herein was the big problem with the day. Heat. All of my long training runs had been done in the morning. Usually completed by 10:00. The race was scheduled to start at 9:00, so I should have been done by about 11:00. But add in the 45 minute delay... That and the average temperature for the past few weeks has been hovering about 17C/63F Yesterday the temperature was about 32C/90F. This created some serious problems

Tangent

One of my co-workers today uttered the following words while talking about his mountain bike race and my half marathon this weekend:"All those super thin people had a lot of trouble, but you and me, we've got nothing to worry about!" (This from a guy who is going to ride the Trans-Alp mountain bike race later this summer, so I didn't feel too bad.)

End Tangent

Because it was hot, and I really didn't feel acclimated, I didn't push it. And I'm glad I didn't. There were a lot of people having a lot of trouble. This was most evident in the later miles of the race. Going up a slight hill about km 15 or so, I had the runner in front of me start weaving all over the course (right into the arms of a fireman). Then, most disturbingly in the 19th km, I heard yelling up ahead. In a small alley way off the side of the course I caught a glimpse of a runner-a man-with blood dripping down his knees, screaming in agony, thrashing about on the ground being restrained by several medical workers and race stewards. Yeah, great weather.

I must say though, the people of Stuttgart were just great. Lots of support along the way, music, cheerleaders, a couple of drunk guys dancing about... But most importantly, quite a few of them (and some firefighters manning the routes in their trucks as well) took it upon themselves to spray down runners as we went by. Much appreciated!

The above water sprays were especially appreciated because the actual race water stations were pretty uncoordinated. Things pretty much came to a stop as soon as you approached one. Which slowed everything down. A lot. This was probably the low point of organization for the run, which was really unfortunate. I was just glad I had my belt on.

As for the sights and sounds. I'll leave you this link to the LW's blog. She's covered most of the highlights. Just let me add, she didn't see the post race showers! To be blunt, there's not a lot of modesty to the German character. Basically open air showers, with a little screen separating the men from the women. But of course, the men's showers were open to just about anyone. (The ankle deep water in the showers themselves was just an added bonus!)


Overall, my griping aside, it was a great time.

- - - - - - -

Kit review:
Amphipod belt: good, no irritation, I wore 3x 8 oz bottles (probably should have worn 4) and the pouch with Jelly Belly Sport beans.
New UA running shirt: I'd worn it a couple of times over the past few weeks and it was great. No irritations at all
UA shorts: this is the first problem I've had with them, even though I've worn them numerous times (long runs included) I had some chaffing issues. (The link is to the newer version of the shorts I was wearing.) I've got to think the chaffing was made worse by the heat, humidity and the fact that I was continually doused in water and/or sweat.

MASSIVE BLOG REDESIGN!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so it's just a new header.
But what a new header it is!!

Many, many, many thanks to the LW for her incredible artistic and digital skills in designing my new logo and header!!!
(Yes, that's custom original artwork by the LW! Isn't she great!)

One Week To Go...

Yesterday was my last long run before the half-marathon next weekend. As the LM's soccer season is over, I didn't run the normal route. This gave me bit of freedom to choose my direction and route.

Thus the quandary. I spent a bit of time on Friday night pouring over a trail map, Google Earth and the like trying to find a good loop of about 11 miles to run. The problem is, there are tons of trails in the woods around here. Most of them have names. Many of them don't. And some of those that are named don't match what's on the map or Google Earth. For instance, on my route to the LM's soccer games I run on Sindelfingenspitzweg, which on on the maps isn't labeled and on Google Earth is labeled Sindelfingenweg. To make it more interesting there are dozens and dozens of trails that aren't on either, but are just a wide and well used so counting left turns or what ever just doesn't work. Confusing? Yes.

After about 30 minutes, I'd mapped myself out a nice run that ran around some lakes and ponds, up towards a local palace. Then it hit me. I didn't have names for about 80% of the paths I'd mapped myself onto. So instead, I opted for the easy way out.

The Radel-thon. The Radel-thon is an 80km bike path that encircles Stuttgart. It's a combination of dirt, gravel and some paved areas. I did some quick calculations and an easy to follow 6 mile out 6 mile back route to run.

So I followed it yesterday morning. It was easy. Signs at almost every junction help keep you on the right path, so that wasn't a real worry. Even better, it went over nice rolling hills followed a stream passed a couple of ponds, and was devoid of vehicles. It even turned out (by design of course) that the route was almost completely a gentle up hill (with a few steep sections and some downhills of course) on the way out, and consequently down hill on the way back.

Tangent

They have some massive wood carvings in the area of the Bärensee there are massive wood carvings. By massive I mean a 20 foot tall tree stump that has been carved into chain links, and a downed tree carved into a giant alligator (you get the picture?) There are massive play areas for the kids, and shelters with grills interspersed in the woods. It's just a great area that we're going to have to get out into as a family and do some hiking.

End Tangent

As for the race prognosis:

• I've no doubt the distance is doable (yesterdays run was a couple of yards short of a half-marathon).
• I'm more worried about pace. I've had troubles finding and meeting the pace for my longer runs. More worryingly, I've missed some of the longer tempo runs over the past 3 weeks. A couple were due to just being flat. For instance this Wednesday I went out for a 'tempo' run and I just had nothing. I ended up with a short easy run instead, b/c I just couldn't do anymore. But annoyingly, some of the runs in the program I'm using just aren't going to happen. I don't know about any of you, but I just don't have the time to do 8-10 mile tempo runs in the middle of the week. I may have to rethink some of my schedule if I really want to get them done. Move the runs from lunch time to early in the morning. That would really put a cramp in my life though, so I'll have to really think about that.
• Physically I feel fine. I have a slight ache in my hip, but it goes away as soon as I start running.
  
• So I think I'll finish (barring catastrophe). Will I get in in under 2 hours? I don't know. The missed tempo runs worry me a little, but yesterday's run was a few yards short of the distance and I finished in about 2:05. The course is flatter than what I ran yesterday, and there will be the 'adrenalin' of being at a race. So I'm hopeful. If not, well, I'll just need to try a bit harder on the next one!
  

Hyper Sensitivity.

Yesterday day was long run day. I ran the same route that I ran last weekend. It's just under 12 miles from our house to where the Little Man plays soccer on the weekends.

Tangent

It was his last game. He did great. Actually kicked the ball a couple of times! The fact that he was on the sideline two of those times is beside the point! He even did well enough to get a new Doctor Who toy. Who said bribery doesn't pay! He started the season as one of the archetypal first time soccer players. Not paying attention to the coach. Not paying attention to the ball. Just kind of wandering around the field randomly: "hmmm what pretty flowers....ohhh! that blade of grass is longer than the rest! I must pluck it! What was that round thing that just bounced off my back? I'd best fall down and cry!"

End Tangent

Like last week, my legs felt very heavy through most of the run. I tried to push through the second half though. (I had the incentive to get to the field on time, and last week I'd barely made it.) I managed to shave some time off the total from a 10:04 pace to a 9:54 pace. But I noticed something odd.

The route is mostly on fire roads and gravel/dirt trails through the woods. There are some pronounced hills (like part of the big one and the last one from the last race). But I noticed something odd. I've run this route or it's constituent parts at least three times in the past. But yesterday I noticed something. Lots of those stretches that I'd previously mentally classified as "flat" weren't. Pretty much the whole thing was either a moderate up or moderate down slope. (In my mind yesterday it was pretty much all gentle up!)

Just a silly change in perception. Anyway, 2 weeks until the half marathon.

Kit note:
The Amphipod belt still working well. Still no big issues, no real bouncing which was my main concern. Most of the time I don't even know it's there. One of my concerns was the ability to get the bottles back into their clip holders while running. It's really not a problem. They just nicely slip in with a nice 'click'.

Still Not Home

Right.

It appears that last post drew some reaction.

First, in response to the Sagey/Blunoz double team to my ego:

Yes I admit it. I brought the Wii fit to your attention.

However, was it not the Sagey Blunoz' that tried to push the value of the X-box on me a year or so ago? ;-)

The NYT article Sagey mentioned is here.

Also, it is not just Sagey and Blunoz on a (presumably) unpaid marketing campaign on behalf of the Nintendo corporation. The LW recently reunited with her long lost best friend. Read her husband's most recent post.

...all the way home

Our good friends Sagey and Blunoz are acting like delinquent teenagers. Imagine your worst experience as a high schooler: "Come-on! Everybodies doing it!!!"

They want us to buy a Wii.


We're trying to talk ourselves out of it. The Wii Fit looks really fun. But we're just having trouble justifying the investment of money (minor issue) and time (major issue) that bringing that box into the house will entail. But we had a run in today.

We were in the local "shop" waiting for the thunder and lightning to clear out. And there was a big sign:

ENTER HERE!!

NINTENDO Wii GAME SYSTEM!!!!!!

So, living up to the tattoo I have on my forehead, I walked over and reached for the pen and pad of entry slips. And as I'm getting ready to start entering data on the slip I look more closely at the sign: "Drawing on 14 June..." blah blah blah...

Then I notice the small print:

ENTER HERE!!

For the opportunity to purchase a

NINTENDO Wii GAME SYSTEM!!!!!!

So, I put the pen down in disgust and walked away. Rational thought prevails (for today anyway).