Might as well run there...

Monday, June 24, 2013

Playing catch-up (on my blog). Auburn Trail Runs, SF Marathon, fun time in Tahoe!

05/27/2013 - 06/02/2013:
Enjoyed a couple of easy runs in Auburn during the week and ran the Auburn Trail Runs 25k (16.5 mile) on Saturday. This was my first trail race, back when it was run by Robert and Linda Mathis, who unfortunately are no longer with us. As is the usual, the course was a little long and the temperature was a little high (in the 90's F). I maintained a comfortable pace, enjoyed the trails and finished 12th, in 3:09:50 (one of my slower times on the course).

Weekly Totals: 28.89 miles; 4,600 ft.

Good swag at the Auburn Trail Run

06/03/2013
Monday - rest day

06/04/2013
Tuesday - I'm starting to work some speed work back into my training. Met with the Folsom Trail Runners for a track workout. Ran a 2 mile warm-up, 12 x 60 sec. @ ~6:00 min/mile pace w/ 60 sec. recovery jogs. Followed by a 1 mile cool-down and 5 x 100 meter sprints. We had a big group and had a good time!

06/05/2013
Wednesday - Easy 3 mile run.

06/06/2013
Thursday - Ran 6 x 60 sec. hill repeats w/ 90 sec. recovery jogs.

06/07/2013
Friday - rest day

06/08/2013
Saturday - Met up with some friends at Auburn Running Company for a morning run with Luis Escobar. Ran 8 miles from ARC down to No Hands Bridge and back. We were able to beat the heat... it was ~110+ today and was nearing 100 degrees by the time we finished the run at ~10 AM.

Oh yeah, bumped into Tim Twietmeyer and Simon Mtuy on the trail... must be June, Western States 100 is in the air!

Later in the day, Candace and I enjoyed Luis's presentation on the Tarahumara Indians, of the Copper Canyons of Mexico, followed by dinner at the Auburn Alehouse after with Luis, his wife Beverly, and Luanne Park.

We capped off the day by hanging out at the start/finish area of the first annual Twilight Trail Adventure, in Cool.

06/09/2013
Sunday - Easy 4 mile run.

Weekly Totals: 25.05 miles; +2,175 ft.

Luanne park and Luis Escobar, after the presentation.

06/10/2013
Monday - rest day

06/11/2013
Tuesday - 2 mile warm; 4 x 400 meters @ ~6:30 min/mile w/ 400 meter recovery; 3 mile cool down + 5 x 100 meter sprints.

06/12/2013
Wednesday - rest day

06/13/2013
Thursday - rest day

06/14/2013
Friday - easy 5k run

06/15/2013
Saturday - rest day, hung out in San Francisco.

06/16/2013
Sunday - Woke up at 4:30 AM, stepped out of our room at Hotel Vitale and walked across the street to the San Francisco Marathon starting area. I ran into Mike Wardian (eventual 3rd place overall finisher) as he was finishing his warm-up.

It was a beautiful morning and I was ready to run. I wasn't quite sure how well I'd hold up for the distance, as my running had been sporadic, post Gold Rush 100k. I decided to just go out at a 4 hour finish pace and see what happened. I maintained 8:30 - 9:00 min/miles through the first half of the race, but wasn't feeling so hot during the last 10k. I strolled in for a 4:12:34, 9:34 min/mile, grabbed a couple of finisher's medals, and then got on with my day, which included celebrating Father's Day with my Dad at the Academy of Science in SF.

Weekly Totals: 36.31 miles; +1,677 ft.