A fast 10k

Congratulations to the marathon group for completing their first 20 miler - that's The Wall - about the spot where your body decides it's time to stop. Back in the pre-Gatorade and Gu days, you would have about exhausted the easy energy stored in your muscles, and your brain would get a little panicky about running out of food.
Your legs are fully capable of going on and on, take a look at the success of the Badwater ultramarathon - running out of the lowest point in North America toward the top of Mount Whitney. Really, people do this. In July, no less.

We won't have to worry about physical walls, it's all mental for us. 13.1 miles will be a cake walk if you do your homework. Our legs, lungs, brains and heart are all ready for this, each of you can run a half-marathon tomorrow and go back to work on Tuesday with no problem, it's a matter of How Fast now. Fearless Leader Erin led us on a 10k run, 1:04:15 - by the way, putting that into the Runner's World finish time calculator spits out ......2:15:27! If you are a little sore this morning, you earned it. We did half our race at the right speed.

The group is shrinking! If you slept in because it was howling wind and smoky air, good for you. You made the right decision. If you weren't there for any other reason: shame. We need the group to be strong, a solid pack of 2:15 muscle to blast through the maddening Elvis horde and trample through the pesty brides and grooms clogging our starting line.

See you at 6 am from now on!
Ryan the Terrible
Fearless Leader

Forest Challenge

Let's see...
Forest? check! Starting line at 8470 feet up Mt Charleston, just shy of the ski resort.
Challenge? check! The trail led straight uphill for over 3 miles, then it really got interesting. The trail got skinny and rocky and went uphill and down all the way to the 4 mile turn around. We topped out at 9400 feet, but the downhill made up for it. I crossed the line, arms flapping to either take off flying or just keep my balance at 8:45 min/mile pace on rubbery oxygen-deprived legs.

It was beautiful up there, not so cold, and the aspen are turning color. I'd recommend a trip up the hill, it's a nice reminder of what "seasons" are. Ours tend to run hot and windy to just plain hot.

Interesting stuff from NPR

So, running makes good financial sense as well!
This from NPR's Marketplace

Runners in the news!

Today's R-J mentions one of our own Flying 2:15: Brooke Bohlke is doing good for the world.
We did good last week: our third 6 mile run, and all of them are grouped right at 1:04 - consistency! Not only the hobgoblin of little minds, it's a sign that we're at a good comfortable pace. If the only time difference can easily be attributed to talking with Tim Kelly at the water stops, we're doing something right.

No details yet on running the Strip. That would simplify Cocktail Sunday a bit.

Best Weekend, part Two

Sunday morning, cool and dark, springy legs and lots of sleep = a nice six mile run in 1:04, or about a 10:35 pace. That's what we've been knocking out the last couple of weeks, so we will have no problem as we keep adding to our distance.
We skipped the Secret Shortcut due to police activity and fear for my skinny life: turns out we also miss a little hill. We may have to re-think visiting the trolls underneath the bridge.
I had a question about handling the hills on the first and last mile: sadly, a good way to get strong on the hills is to go run up and down a hill one day on your training. I have a nice hill that's part of my weekly run, running up Mountain Vista near SECTA. I run to the top then take it easy back down - I lean forward and take a lot of shorter steps to avoid any knee pain on the downhill. Back to the top at race pace, repeat as necessary.
If you prefer a treadmill, see if there's a Hill program on it. The one at my fitness center has a brutal little course - starts out small and keeps getting steeper and taller as you go. It spaghettifies my legs in short order.

Keep it up, 2:15!

Ryan the Terrible,
Fearless Leader and shortcut avoider,
the Flying 2:15, fastest group in the Half!

Our best weekend yet!

Except for the ones with cocktails, I guess.
Saturday's Las Vegas Track Club crowned our own Legend: Brian Schreiber, 3rd in the Senior Division:



Nice!

Say goodbye to the short runs!

Sunday's 4 miler was the last time we'll see that distance, it's going to be ramping up from now on. Next week five, then a couple sixes, then seven and up. Are you starting to feel like a runner now? You sure look like runners - lean, color coordinated, shoe-spangled, technical socks and streamlined sunglasses.

Our run totaled a little less than 4 miles, I guess our Secret Shortcut works. Our pace averaged 10:37 per mile, including lounging at the water stop. How about this: Mile 3 - downhill from the water stop - was sub 10. We flew!

Keep up the good work, 2:15!

Ryan the Terrible
Fearless Leader,
the Flying 2:15