Olded.

or “How I turned 30.”

My last run as a 29 year old involved waking up at 4:35am on Monday to run 6 miles with some running group people.

 

When I got home I realized what my note to Dan (written in the dark, on paper that had apparently already been used) looked like.

While my dream birthday would involve running-- and preferably trail running-- my actual birthday, last Tuesday, involved working, and starting early.  I treated myself to a lunch time birthday cupcake.  No coffee buttercream frosting, but this one was some kind of mocha/caramel combo.

I worked some more. I took a break for a 35-minute late afternoon bike ride in the sweltering heat and high winds, showered, then worked for a couple more hours.

This arrived on my doorstep

We ordered Thai take-out and thanks to Dan’s handy-work, the contents of that big box later became this:

Looking forward to riding a bike that weighs less than half my current hybrid bike and will allow me to keep up with Dan on his road bike!

Then I called it a night and set my alarm to meet different running friends to run 5ish miles at 5ish the next morning.

Mt Pinos Hike & Biweekly Running Recap

Week of July 8th: A.K.A. 7 days of moving-- but not much running.
Monday:  12 mile bike ride/14.1 mph

Tuesday: 3.32 mile hilly run. +542’, 10:01 avg pace.

Wednesday: 2 mile easy run w/Dan.

Thursday: 3 mile XC Summer Series, Week 1. I ran this last year. Course is slightly different than last year to accommodate the track re-build, but it is still half road/half dirt and hilly.  Ran it in 25:08 which placed me at approximately 339/~573 runners.  +~181’, 8:22 pace. First place runner finished in 15:52.

Friday: 1.58 mile run down the hill and back up. +321’.

Saturday:  9.8 mile hike in Los Padres National Forest. +2263’. Elevation was noticeable and ranged between 8300’ and 8829’. 

Temperatures were near 100 degrees at home, but was probably about 20 degrees cooler up here with shade from the tall pines and a nice cool breeze.  Fun fact: Mt Pinos is the highest point in the Los Padres National Forest.  We had nice views of the Central Valley and other parts of the National Forest.

Mount Pinos  & Sawmill Mountain:

^Final ascent

Sunday: 9.6 mile easy bike ride/11.9 mph. Needed to shake out the legs.

Week of July 15th:

Monday: I don’t normally count dog walks, but… 30 minute dog walk?

Tuesday AM: 3.6 miles/avg pace 9:29
Tuesday PM: Speed work… on a real track! 6x[600m, 200m rest] in: 2:47, 2:47, 2:47, 2:40, 2:48, 2:48 . Total of 4.7 miles with warm up and cool down.

Wednesday: 50 minute dog walk

Friday: 4 miles. +715’, avg pace 9:52

Saturday night.  This is how I prepared for my Sunday long run:

Sunday: 12 miles. +622’, avg pace 9:40.

One of these was going on over the weekend:

All shoes were $40 on Friday (and got down to $25 on Sunday), but I exercised restraint.  Besides, they didn’t have my beloved Tempo in my size…and I recently got a new pair.  I did, however, pick up a $15 tank (one that I was about to buy on Running Warehouse!) and a $7 hat. Folks from my running group found some Bostons and Adios(es?) in their sizes…good deal.

  

That’s all I’ve got. 
This concludes my last post as a 29 year old. Tuesday I turn 30. Yikes.

New 10k PR

Let’s start with July 4th.  I ran a 10k.  I wanted to run a race because it’s been a while (March?) but was also dreading it for a number of reasons:

1. It has been ridiculously hot. Triple digits and humidity. It’s not supposed to be humid here.
2. I have felt sluggish during my speed work and tempo runs.
• Possibly worth noting that these runs have not been on flat ground.
3. The 10k race course runs on the bike path where my running group has been doing speed work while the track is rebuilt.
• Speed work is extra unpleasant at 6pm when the temperature is still in the 90s.
• Therefore this part of the bike path is now always unpleasant.
4. I only want to run a race if I’m going to try for a PR. Or run on trails.
• Last year I ran a 53:27
• Last year’s 8:36 pace didn’t sound so easy to beat when tempo runs have felt slow.
• I am sure I will have to adjust this race mentality as I get older and slower.

I surprised myself and ran a 52:03, which was an 8:23 average pace.  Miraculously, 1st in my age group out of 8.  Not sure where the other 15 people from my age group at last year’s race disappeared to.  30th female out 115 and 91st overall of 238.  If this race occurred one month later when I’ll be 30… I would not have placed in my age group. Women 30-34 are FAST around here.

The course wasn’t exactly flat. That gradual uphill in the second half is very noticeable especially as the sun is starting to feel hotter on you on this fully exposed course.

Which must explain my paces…  8:19-8:20 pace for the Down Half. I don’t think I have ever run this consistently over a 3 mile distance.  And then I did it again. 8:38-8:39 for the Up Half. 

I looked at my watch when it beeped every mile but otherwise tried to just zone out and run, paying attention to effort level until I hit 6 miles and could see the finish line, then it was go-time.  I brought music, which I don’t normally do.  But I remembered being annoyed by the slapping of a nearby runner’s Teva sandals last year and didn’t think I could handle that again.

       

I wasn’t the only one decked out in red, white and blue:

Week of June 24:
Monday: 5.35 mi tempo run on rolling hills, avg pace 8:33. With cool down: 6.06 miles.

Tuesday: Arrived late to 3x 1 Mile repeats. So I got in .75 mi at a 7:40 pace, then a mile at 8:03 and a mile in 7:48. 2-3 minutes in between. Total: 4.74 miles.

Wednesday: 7.06 mi bike ride, avg 14.2 mph.

Friday: 1.94 mile “easy” run, +283’.

Saturday: 10.13 miles, avg pace 9:21, +395’.

Sunday: Rest. Retreated to the ocean where, at 85 degrees, it was 25 degrees cooler than home.

Week of July 1:
Monday AM: 4.25 mi at 8:47 avg pace on rolling hills. With cool down: 5.13 miles total. (+915’!?)
Monday PM: 2.05 flat, easy miles with Dan.

Thursday: 10k in 52:03.

Saturday: I ran down the hill to get donuts then brought them back home. Seriously. 1.58 miles and +321’.

Sunday: 10.02 miles, avg pace 9:34. + ~500’.