Carlene, Jacquie and Ken’s Excellent Half-Marathon Adventure Web Site!
Mar 27/02 — Ken: Shamrock Shuffle, etc.
3/25/02 Mar 11: Off
Mar 12: Swim 64 minutes (1.86 miles)
Mar 13: Off
Mar 14: Run 44 minutes (4 miles)
Mar 15: Off
Mar 16: Run 68 minutes (6 miles)
Mar 17: OffMar 18: Off (bike setup)
Mar 19: Bike trainer 95 minutes (23 miles)
Mar 20: Off
Mar 21: Treadmill Run 71 minutes (6 miles)
Mar 22: Off (Shamrock Shuffle Expo + Chicago Bike Show)
Mar 23: Off
Mar 24: Shamrock Shuffle 8K, 48:56 (PR)*********************************************
First week of this period I made my running and swimming times, but no bike and no weights. There were family events (my daughter's play), and I seemed to have a recurrence of my Plantar Fasciitis. I haven't been good with my stretching and it has come back to haunt me. At least the weather is starting to improve and I was able to run outside on Wednesday night (55 degrees F) and on Saturday afternoon (40 degrees F but lots of sunshine).
My one biking adventure this week was buying a new bike for my triathlons this year. It's a Giant road bike, but the compact geometry fits me better than the tri bikes I test rode. I'm not quite physically suited for the aero position (your champion triathletes carry a spare tire on the back of the bike, instead of around their waist like me), and this bike lets me ride more upright. I'll ride for a while and this summer we might try some modified aero bars to get me a bit more sleek in the wind. So let's hope for better bike splits.
The second week had a few interruptions, along with the recurrence of the Plantar Fasciitis. Stretching, etc., seemed to help, but it came back with a vengeance after my Thursday run. Unfortunately, it seems related to my new shoes - I don't have the same problem with the older ones. I guess more testing is necessary. I also spent most of Monday night setting up my new bike with computer and other accessories, and getting it loaded onto the trainer (with book stand and sweat cover for those boring basement rides). My daughter was off to a school field trip to Washington, D.C., on Friday, so Wednesday night she just HAD to have some new pants for the trip. Okay, she's a size 4. Why do two pair of jeans cost $100???
The end of the week was focused on the Shamrock Shuffle 8K, the unofficial start of the racing season in Chicago. Friday night I hit the Expo, then grabbed a cab to the Chicago Bike Show at Navy Pier. I did a lot of looking but, alas, no buying. Already had plenty of stuff from all the previous expos, as well as a new bike from the week before.
The local weather folks were predicting snow for Sunday, race day, but it ended up being in the lower 30's and cloudy, with an increasing wind all morning. The race is the largest 8K in the country, with over 16,000 entrants. I lined up at the 11:00 pace marker, and it took six minutes to get to the start line (and there was no way you could start running before then). The first mile or two was crowded, but then it thinned out a bit. I pushed myself pretty good, and came closing to red-lining my heart rate monitor in the last 100 yards. But I set a new PR: 48:56, a 9:50 pace. Five and a half minutes better than my 2001 effort.
Next week: Sadly, no races currently on the calendar for April. My April 6 12K in Florida (during a business trip) was cancelled, and so I'm still looking for a race down there. It might be a month to focus on my training plan and getting ready for PWC 4.
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