Where's the Donuts?

Easy on the YMCA loop, plus 5x100 strides. 33;59

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Real easy miles on Shore Drive. 31:59

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Two at the Rainier Beach track meet with the Jaguars, then drove to Spokane. 

Back to Spokane for the annual Bloomsday race and post-race fiesta.

Beautiful morning to wake up to, bright sunny skies but not too warm. Our group of 11 drove into Spokane and set up camp at the bus station, as usual, but we could have just stayed outside for the hour's wait (though it was nice to beat the bathroom crowds). We were even in the Second Seed staging area 15 minutes before the start, which might be a record for us. The extra time paid off, because I was able to sneak in a bathroom trip with like 3 minutes until the gun and still sneak up to a good spot in the crowd. That positioning was part of this year's plan, I figured I could shave a second or three by simply not wasting time stepping around people in the first 400 meters. (The goal was to drop six seconds overall, which I was very confident about and felt great about all morning.)

The start was like usual with a morass of people, but I had a pretty easy time weaving through the field this year. I think the spots just opened up my way, nothing strategic that I did. So let's say I caught a break, and ran pretty evenly and relaxed for a first mile of 5:46. I was with the Whitworth track team at that point, and let three or four of those guys pull me through the second mile, 5:50. I was a little stiff, like I didn't stretch enough, but figured the pace was correct and that I'd loosed up as we got out into the sun. The third mile was about the same, even with the smaller hill we had to climb, and I had a 5:50 again.

I lost a little momentum on the turn near Spokane Falls CC, and felt the pace slip as that road crests. I figured it was ok to float a bit because I had a downhill coming before Doomsday Hill, and ran 6:00. Still ok, as far as my goal time went, even though I knew I'd slow up on Doomsday. I was actually passed by a lot of people up the famous hill, maybe 8, but I kept the pack I was tailing in sight and tried not to let my heart race while grinding uphill. The race put timing mats on the bottom and top of Doomsday this year, so I figured people would be tempted to race it. I crested and hit the mile at 6:18, maybe a touch slower than I should have. I thought I'd get there sooner, but those mile markers are always a little farther than you think.

Mile six was the one I usually struggle with, and I did again this year. It's not tough, it's just mentally tricky to adjust the pace back down when you come off of Doomsday. I knew I needed to keep it going sub-6 there to hit my sub-44 goal, but fell prey to temptation and rested mentally a little bit. I kept the pack in striking distance but this guy was surging and falling behind all weird next to me, which maybe threw me off. The mile went by in 6:13, which was 10 seconds slow and I knew put me right on the edge for the goal time.

The pace picked up there for the group I was with and I hung with them, even put on a little surge that actually felt pretty good. I managed to keep that pace consistent through the last mile, which really whizzed by. But even a 5:53 and 2:24 (for 0.46) wasn't quite enough. I knew it when I turned the corner for the last 200m. The finish is a downhill stretch toward a bridge and I could see the digital clock pass 44:00 as I approached. Shoot, it was a 44:15. I managed to clip one guy right before the line, but I needed the guy in front of him to make Top 25 for my age group (which is a perenially goal).

I was spent, and stood there second guessing the little surges here and there that make a difference in a shorter race like that. Ah well, only 10 seconds off last year's time, so I can't cry about it. I love the course, had another wonderful experience, picked up the best finisher t-shirt of the past three years, and ate my $25 worth of pizza/donuts/fruit in the Second Seed tent. Then Mike and I cooled down for two miles as the streets of Spokane emptied, sat on the grass for an hour as our 40,000 friends left the neighborhood, then drove back to Donnie's and ate too many nachos. That's the most important annual goal, and we all nailed it.

Probably didn't need two days off, but I was exhausted Monday from the race and travel, and spent that afternoon and Tuesday in the yard instead of on the streets. Had to be done. Back to the trails tonight, easy run at Illahee Preserve, where there's some serious trail work going on and signage being built. 37:57

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11th-Shore Drive loop. 

Evening run around Bremerton w/Mike, we even went out on the breakwater. It's been wonderful the past few days, 70s and even hinting in the 80s. 35:00

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Warren-Manette bridge loop on a warm evening. 37:46

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Mike's tapering for the Spokane marathon on Saturday, so I met him tonight for his last taper run before hitting the road. Easy (less than) three or so around Evergreen Park neighborhood. 22:00

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Green Mountain. Timm's in town, so I skipped work and went trail running. We're both hoping we get selected for the Crow Pass Crossing in July, and Timm needs some hill work. Ran a slower pace to pull him along, but still a good run. Beaver Pond and to the Vista and the loop back. The last 1/2 or something I walked in, the downhill was pounding my right knee. Hadn't felt that pain before, kind of under the kneecap to the inside of my leg. Also an ache in my left front hip flexor. 1:41ish. 

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I signed up for this race as encouragement for my cousin's wife, who's getting into running, and then talked my brother into joining as well. So there was no plan for whether I'd race or pace others. But as we milled around Sunday morning in a big "fun run" type crowd, the competative juices started to flow a little, and when the announcer called for all sub-6 minute mile people to come to the front (and only a handful did) I couldn't help it. I decided to race.

We had warmed up a mile, from Bryce's house to Montlake Boulevard, so avoiding the traffic of 4,000 cars around the UW was a good omen. Like I said, it was a small group up front at the start, so I had no trouble getting out quickly. There was a large contingent of Club Northwest runners, so I figured I'd pace with them. I missed the first two mile markers but luckily was alongside a guy wearing a Garmin, and going by his beep I ran 5:41 and 5:37 or so on two pretty flat miles, maybe a slight downhill on the second. I've deleted the splits on my watch without writing them down, but if memory serves I hit around 5:40 on the turn up the University Bridge (a hill, but not a steep hill), and then surged for a 5:13, trying to put away a tall CW woman and two other guys. As we hit the four-mile marker I had another handful within striking distance, and quickly reeled in two guys at the turnaround on Montlake. By watching the runners headed toward the finish I guessed I had a shot at the top 20, and on the last route through the athletic complex I tracked down a group of three women. Caught 'em all, even had a little kick on the slightly uphill finish. But I was just outside that 20, and finished 28th. Another 20 yards and I would have picked off one more guy.

I liked this race, it went fast and I really felt strong all the way through. It felt great to be able to find some reserve on that fourth mile to surge rather than floating, so I guess I have some speed at the moment. And it was one of those few-thousand-runners-raising-money type of things, so it was a fun atmosphere. Timm, Alicia and Eric all ran well and had fun too, and we walked home after the race and had some french toast.

adidas Adistar

Ran with the Jaguar kids today, so the miles weren't fast but they were fun. We did 3x1 mile, with one surging the straightaways, another at a medium pace (6:35 to 7:35, and I ran between kids to encourge them), then a fast 800 (2:50ish) followed by 800 jog. Then I ran another mile on my own. 

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A few miles on 11th-Shore Drive, but a pretty quick pace for an after-work run. 32:00

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Warren-Manette bridge loop w/Timm. Easy pace, no watch, really sunny morning. 

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Timm and I ran from home over to Evergreen Rotary, met Mike there. Up the Warren bridge and out to the Tracyton boat launch, then back to the park via the Manette bridge. Then a cup of coffe and a snack. 1:28:00

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25 miles on the bike today, longest I've done that in awhile (and I'm saddle sore to prove it). Home to the ferry, then downtown Seattle out to Laurelhurst (bbq break) and back. 

Timm flew out to see our parents this afternoon, but before he left we meandered around 11th-Shore for awhile in the morning. Real easy pace on a sunny morning. 25:35

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3 w/the Jaguars on the track, running shorter intervals at around sub-6 pace, then practice ended and I went to Illahee Preserve for another two or so. 

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