Memorial Day 5k

From Top Left Counterclockwise: Dennis and me before the start,
me finishing 7th with time of 19:17, running with Dennis
just before the finish line, Dennis with his beautiful and supportive family, with my beautiful and supportive wife, Dennis and me after his awesome finish, Dennis celebrating completing his very first race with a time of 32:18!

This may sound crazy, but yesterday's Memorial Day 5k hurt more than when I ran Boston last month!  I was huffin' and puffin' towards the end and had nothing left to speed up through the finish line.  I guess part of it was not knowing the course because I didn't notice the finish line 'til about 150m around the last bend.  That's just a small part though!  I did the complete opposite in this race than I do with my progressions runs!  My pace per mile got progressively slower.  I tried to settle down at the beginning by staying with the eventual 6th place finisher, but since we kept the same pace for most of the race, we had about the same splits per mile.  I finished 7th overall, first in the Masters Division (40-49).  I have my work cut out for me since I committed myself to running the RVRR X-C Summer Series and want to run sub-19:00!

Not Sure If I'm Ready for the 5k!

I only ran twice this past week!  On Tuesday, I participated in another RVRR track workout that kicked my ass!  I felt it the next day in my calves, thighs and little in my back!  I didn't run again until Friday and that was a tough run because of the heat.  The forecast for the Memorial Day North Brunswick 5k tomorrow is hot and humid by the time it starts at 8:30am (about 78/80%)!  I hope to even break 20 minutes!

5/24:  Highland Park HS - Track Workout with RVRR. Warm up run of 3.30 miles, then did the RVRR ladder workout (3x200, 2x400, 3x200 with equal recovery).  Splits = 0:41, 0:34, 0:32, 1:16, 1:16, 0:36, 0:36, 0:32. Cool down was one mile.  I like running 800 repeats better than this workout!
Total Mileage = 7.0 in 1:07:48 (9:41 pace).
Weather - Forgot to log.
Weight After Run = 144
Shoes - Saucony Kinvara (red)

5/27:  John A. Phillips Park - Moderate Progression Run.  Ran 6.2 miles (splits = 6:59, 6:55, 6:54, 6:48, 6:44, 6:17, 5:55).  Felt okay in the beginning, but very good at the end.
Weather - 81/83/57%; SSE9; PCldy.
Weight After Run = 144
Shoes - Saucony Kinvara (red)

New Blog Name

I decided to change the title of my blog from RunCureSave26point2 to Endless Miles.  I initially started this blog when I joined the American Cancer Society's DetermiNation Team focusing on raising money to fight cancer and create more birthdays.  It was the first time I raised money for charity and I had an awesome time raising money and making new friends!  My wife convinced me to create my initial blog to share my training experience and to provide fundraising updates.  I didn't think that I would be able to keep up with a blog and a separate detailed training log that I regularly keep on Garmin Connect, but I did!  So now I decided to continue my training blog with a different, more appropriate name to describe my passion for running.

I've been running since October 1979 when I joined my junior high school cross country team.  My first road race was the following month, which was the 3.7 Mile Turkey Trot.  I can say that I ran races in every decade since then!  That's five decades!  I may be older, but I feel like I'm getting stronger and faster.  I have the following goals:

Sub-3:00 Marathon
Sub-1:20 Half Marathon
Sub-39:30 10k
Sub-31:00 5-Miles
Sub-19:00 5k

I have a lot of work ahead of me!

Always a Runner...

Getting Ready for My 1st 5K Race in Almost Six Years!

I'm running my first 5K race on May 30th, which is the North Brunswick Memorial Day 5K.  This is the first or four 5K races of The Brunswick Cup.  In this series, they total the three fastest times to determine the overall winners.  The last 5K race I ran was on July 30, 2005.  It was the NY Mets Run to Home Plate at Shea Stadium and I finished it in 21:24 (6:54 pace).  My fastest 5K race was on July 22, 2004, which was the Nike Run Hit Wonder in Central Park.  I finished that race in 20:57.  These are the only 5K races I ran since I started competing again in 2003! I should easily break the 20:00 barrier (maybe even 19:30) as I had very good runs during my Marathon Recovery Month and here is my first week of training after that month:

5/17:  First track workout since I was in high school on Guam!  Ran with the RVRR at the Highland Park High School track.  Ran a 2-mile warm-up followed with 8x800m repeats with 400m recovery.  Splits = 2:56, 3:04, 3:05, 2:56, 2:54, 2:55, 2:49, 2:49.  Total Mileage = 8 miles.
Weather: 62/62/84%; ENE13; Cloudy.
Weight After Run = 142
Shoes:  Saucony Kinvara (red)

5/18:  Highland Park RVRR Club Run.  Ran 4.38 with Dennis in 49:57 (11:24 pace) as he prepares for his first 5K race (North Brunswich Memorial Day 5K).
Weather: 65/65/81%; ENE12; Cloudy.
Weight After Run = 142
Shoes;  Nike LunarGlide+2 (orange)

5/20:  Marlboro Retro Fitness.  Treadmill 6's and 7's. Started with 5-minute warm-up at 10:00 pace.  Increased incline to 6% at MP (7:13 pace) for 90 seconds, followed with 0% incline at 10:00 pace for 60 seconds.  Increased incline to 7% at MP (7:13 pace) for 60 seconds, followed with 0% incline at 10:00 pace. Completed six reps followed with a progressive 2-mile run (6:37, 5:51), then a 5-minute cool down. Total mileage = 7.25 miles (8:14 pace)
Weight After Run = 141
Shoes:  Saucony Kinvara (red)

TOTAL MILEAGE = 19.63

Marathon Recovery Month

Marathon Recovery Month - I felt really good in the following days after the Boston Marathon that I had to force myself not to run!  It hard to do, but I figured my body deserved the days off from running.  I did a lot more eating and even gained most of the 10 pounds I lost during my marathon training!  I'm slowly getting back to some serious workouts because I want to start competing in a few 5k races during the summer.  I might start it off with the North Brunswick 5k on Memorial Day.  I plan to run each one under 19 minutes.

4/22 - 5-Mile Progression Run in 34:07 (6:48 pace) at John A. Phillips Park (JAPP).  Splits = 7:08. 7:04, 7:02, 6:51, 5:57.  Nike LunarGlide +2 (orange).
4/27 - 5k Run with Dennis in 36:01 (11:37 pace) at Highland Park.  We ran with the Raritan Valley Road Runners and it was Dennis's fastest 5k to date!  Nike LunarGlide+2 (orange).
4/30 - 10k Progression Run in 41:54 (6:45 pace) at JAPP.  Splits = 7:13, 7:13, 7:09, 6:45, 6:21, 6:02, 5:37).   Nike LunarGlide+2 (orange).
5/03 - Hard Progression Run with 1-mile warm-up and 1 mile cool down at JAPP.  Ran with my wife for the first mile and she used her new Saucony Kinvara!  Progression Splits = 6:31, 6:16, 6:07, 5:49.  Saucony Kinvara (red).
5/04 - 5k Run with Dennis in 33:15 (10:44 pace) at Highland Park.  It's his fastest 5k to date!  Nike LunarGlide+2 (orange).
5/06 - 8-Mile Abbreviated Newton Hills Simulation Hills at Marlboro Retro Fitness in 58:05 (7:14 pace).
5/10 - 5-Mile Hard Progression Run at JAPP.  Splits = 6:44, 6:40, 6:27, 6:23, 6:04.  Saucony Kinvara (red).
5/11 - 4.2-Mile Run with Dennis at Highland Park.  It's his fastest 5k to date with progressively faster miles unlike the first two times.  Ran an additional 1.1 miles after the 5k.  Nike LunarGlide+2 (orange).
5/13 - 9-Mile Hard Progression Run at JAPP.  Splits = 6:55, 6:53, 6:45, 6:44, 6:36, 6:28, 6:21, 5:53.  Saucony Kinvara (red).



TOTAL MILEAGE = 49.60.

The Need for Speed!

I got hooked on the marathon distance in 2007 when I ran the New York City Marathon and qualified for my first Boston.  I figured that since I was older, I would be better running longer distances than running shorter, faster races.  However, when I ran the New York City Half Marathon in 1:23:56 and also found myself running the mile under six minutes after running six to nine miles, I thought maybe I can get back into the shorter, faster races.  I made the decision to test my mettle and run The Brunswick Cup and The RVRR Summer Series!  They both have a series of four 5K races.  The main differences between the two are that the Brunswick Cup is four road races stretched through November and The RVRR Summer Series is four cross country races two weeks apart starting June 14th and ending July 26th.  It should be interesting, exciting and fun!

Always a Runner...