I purchased a pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 11 running shoes. In an hour and a half, I tried on over 20 sets of shoes to find a pair that worked for me. Good room in the toebox, plenty of cushion up in the forefoot. These shoes are comfortable for my running style and when I tried them on in the store, they didn't move around when I landed. That is a key issue with me since I am a forefoot striker.
I took them out for a test spin yesterday. I still had some knee pain in my right leg. That is not a good sign, but it's not the first time I've had this. I had this a few years ago when I was running with the Track Shack training program. I just ran through it. The tendon pain seems to go away after a few miles of warming up very slowly. I have to take each stride very gingerly. At least I had new shoes to give me a little emotional boost.
I haven't run at Lake Eola in awhile, so this was a nice change of scenery. I did 2 laps very slowly to warmup. The heat and humidity had already taken its toll on my mind and body by the time I got into my core workout. I probably ran between 8:30 and 9:00 minutes, but it felt like I was giving the effort of 7:30 pace. What can you do? Keep running.
I ran 3 miles at that pace constantly having to remind myself to keep my arms pumping and my legs moving. My feet felt great, though, thanks to my new Asics Gel Nimbus 11's. It felt like I had little pillows in my shoes.
Showing posts with label downtown Orlando. Show all posts
Showing posts with label downtown Orlando. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
IOA Corporate 5k 2010
Thursday, April 15th. A sea of runners and walkers. Central Boulevard in downtown Orlando was filled from sidewalk to sidewalk from Osceola Avenue past where I could see.
The horn went off at 7:15pm. I was near the front and it took 3 minutes and 5 seconds to cross the starting line. It reported took 30 minutes to clear everyone through the starting gate.
It was very crowded and I must have run the first quarter mile around 11 minute pace zigzagging. Trying to be polite and not run into anyone was getting me nowhere fast and I started getting upset. A lot of walkers start near the front when they should be back further. There are plenty of newbies that run fast for the first mile or less, because they don't know how far 3 miles is. I did that once. My very first practice with the high school cross country team was a run for time to see who would run varsity at the upcoming meet that weekend. I took off with the lead pack and ran side by side with our number 3 runner from about half mile to the mile marker. I asked him how much further we had to run before the finish and he laughed at me when he said we weren't even at the first mile. I just realized what I had done and when I slowed down to a near walk and every single person on the team whizzed by me, coach pulled aside and told me to stop running. I learned a valuable lesson that day about being prepared and not giving everything you've got in the first mile. Unfortunately, there are probably four thousand newbie runners at the IOA Corporate 5k every year that make that mistake and you have to run by them to get into any kind of rhythm.
The easy going person started to leave as people whizzed by me on the sidewalks like deer. I moved to the sidewalks at about half a mile and would have bursts of running and near stopping as people kept stopping and zigzagging in my direction. A couple of runners went around me at one point and I heard the girl say to the guy, "This is like cross country."
That's when it kicked in. That's when I remembered running in the pack of a big cross country meet and you felt no kindness for your competition. Elbows out. When people move into your running path from the side, you put your forearm into their shoulder and let them know that it is not acceptable. When two people won't give you enough room to get through after you tell them, "Coming through," you have to put both arms in front of you and create a wedge as you quickly run through them. I got this. I remember how to run in crowds. I heard a few people say, "Sorry," but I wasn't about to turn around and start a conversation.
I hit the mile clock at 11:35, which means I ran an 8:30 first mile. That was minute off my goal pace. That sucked and I knew my time was going to be slow. I would now have to run negatives after putting out way too much energy on the first mile as it was. I almost gave up in my mind and settled into the pace everyone around me was running and let them dictate my pace.
Nope. Not this guy. No way.
I sped up and continued to slip by people. I had to pay so much attention to weaving and passing people that I completely missed the 2 mile marker and clock. Oh well. I just had to keep my speed and guess how far I was on the course based on my training. I did manage to get into a nice rhythm when we got onto Robinson Street and the police had all the runners on the left side of the road. I obviously crossed the dividing line and ran slightly in the right half of the road. It was the only way I could start to open my stride. There had to be close to a mile stretch like this. It was nice. Finally.
I kept gradually increasing my speed towards the finish line. I crossed at 27:41, so my real time was 24:36. I missed the 2 mile marker, so I don't know my exact splits. The first was 8:30 and then the last 2 miles averaged out at 7:40 per mile. I could have run a good race if I took a minute off that first mile.
It was fun in its craziness. That's what this race is all about. A sporting event with a party atmosphere. And it's a good cause. Funds go to the Parramore Kidz Zone. And another thing, our team took first place in the Men's Legal Division. That feels good, too.
The horn went off at 7:15pm. I was near the front and it took 3 minutes and 5 seconds to cross the starting line. It reported took 30 minutes to clear everyone through the starting gate.
It was very crowded and I must have run the first quarter mile around 11 minute pace zigzagging. Trying to be polite and not run into anyone was getting me nowhere fast and I started getting upset. A lot of walkers start near the front when they should be back further. There are plenty of newbies that run fast for the first mile or less, because they don't know how far 3 miles is. I did that once. My very first practice with the high school cross country team was a run for time to see who would run varsity at the upcoming meet that weekend. I took off with the lead pack and ran side by side with our number 3 runner from about half mile to the mile marker. I asked him how much further we had to run before the finish and he laughed at me when he said we weren't even at the first mile. I just realized what I had done and when I slowed down to a near walk and every single person on the team whizzed by me, coach pulled aside and told me to stop running. I learned a valuable lesson that day about being prepared and not giving everything you've got in the first mile. Unfortunately, there are probably four thousand newbie runners at the IOA Corporate 5k every year that make that mistake and you have to run by them to get into any kind of rhythm.
The easy going person started to leave as people whizzed by me on the sidewalks like deer. I moved to the sidewalks at about half a mile and would have bursts of running and near stopping as people kept stopping and zigzagging in my direction. A couple of runners went around me at one point and I heard the girl say to the guy, "This is like cross country."
That's when it kicked in. That's when I remembered running in the pack of a big cross country meet and you felt no kindness for your competition. Elbows out. When people move into your running path from the side, you put your forearm into their shoulder and let them know that it is not acceptable. When two people won't give you enough room to get through after you tell them, "Coming through," you have to put both arms in front of you and create a wedge as you quickly run through them. I got this. I remember how to run in crowds. I heard a few people say, "Sorry," but I wasn't about to turn around and start a conversation.
I hit the mile clock at 11:35, which means I ran an 8:30 first mile. That was minute off my goal pace. That sucked and I knew my time was going to be slow. I would now have to run negatives after putting out way too much energy on the first mile as it was. I almost gave up in my mind and settled into the pace everyone around me was running and let them dictate my pace.
Nope. Not this guy. No way.
I sped up and continued to slip by people. I had to pay so much attention to weaving and passing people that I completely missed the 2 mile marker and clock. Oh well. I just had to keep my speed and guess how far I was on the course based on my training. I did manage to get into a nice rhythm when we got onto Robinson Street and the police had all the runners on the left side of the road. I obviously crossed the dividing line and ran slightly in the right half of the road. It was the only way I could start to open my stride. There had to be close to a mile stretch like this. It was nice. Finally.
I kept gradually increasing my speed towards the finish line. I crossed at 27:41, so my real time was 24:36. I missed the 2 mile marker, so I don't know my exact splits. The first was 8:30 and then the last 2 miles averaged out at 7:40 per mile. I could have run a good race if I took a minute off that first mile.
It was fun in its craziness. That's what this race is all about. A sporting event with a party atmosphere. And it's a good cause. Funds go to the Parramore Kidz Zone. And another thing, our team took first place in the Men's Legal Division. That feels good, too.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
IOA Corporate 5K - Start
I am in the lower right hand corner of this pic. This is just as the horn is going off and we are starting to inch forward toward the starting line. It took about 11 seconds for me to hit the line and I was only about 20 feet back.
IOA Corporate 5K - Finish
Here I am a few seconds after crossing the finish. I am gasping for air. I had a cramp in the middle of my upper abdomen area for almost the entire last mile.
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