The finish line is very simple. They are just running a tape with times and each finisher places a slip with predicted time in the box.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
DECEMBER PREDICTION
DECEMBER PREDICTION RUN
Through the year the Bryn Mawr Running Company schedules prediction runs. In the spring and summer these are evening runs, but in December it is scheduled for Saturday morning.
There are three possible courses 5 miles, 7.5, and 10. I have never done the longer courses (since I am so slow I am afraid of 1) getting lost and 2) everyone being gone when I get back).
The entry fee is an unwrapped toy, socks, or used shoes in good shape to be donated to St. Vincent’s Home.
A prediction run is fun because in theory anyone can win. You write down the time you think you will finish any of the three courses. You must leave your watch behind. You carry your time with you and turn it in at the end of the race. I say in theory because while slower runners can and do win you must have a very good sense of pace. For most of the run you can run at your own pace but there are a couple of busy streets to cross (which may mean waiting for a traffic light) and it is hilly course.
It was a chilly morning but very clear; perfect for running.
Once I came very close to my predicted time but because of timing mess up I didn’t get an award. Saturday, I was almost two minutes too fast. I knew I had taken the course a little too fast and tried to slow down at the end but it was still too much.
A very fun run and a great way to turn a run into a social experience and still maintain a bit of competitiveness.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Horse Racing
Horse Racing
Bob Ford wrote an interesting column in the Philadelphia Inquirer about the current state of horse racing. The article was triggered by the retirement of Afleet Alex.
The article is here: Philadelphia Inquirer Sports- Bob Ford.
That may require registration and I am not sure how long the link stays valid so here is the money quote:
The Triple Crown series is supposed to be hard. It is supposed to be the great test of a racing champion. Back when horses were bred for endurance and raced heavily, it was still hard. Now, however, when breeding is all about speed rather than durability, when trainers are more inclined to dull pain rather than wait it out, when the richest prizes are still clustered within a brutal five-week period, now the series is a crippler that has to be altered. . .
The problem begins with the fact that a 3-year-old is not a mature horse, but the equine equivalent of a teenager. The body is still developing and changing. But to prepare for the Triple Crown series, the colts must be trained hard and raced in their 2-year-old seasons and then given a stiff set of prep races the following spring just to qualify for the Kentucky Derby field.
Not only is the Derby the doorstep for the Triple Crown, it is the most prestigious U.S. race. Every owner and every trainer wants to be there. Getting the horse ready is paramount.
"You race them early and put pressure on them. If something goes wrong, you're doctoring them up just to get them ready for this one race," trainer Bobby Frankel said. "And if this was another race, you'd pass it. But it's the Kentucky Derby and that's why you get 20 horses."
They race the 11/4-mile Derby, then the 13/16-mile Preakness two weeks later and then the 11/2-mile Belmont three weeks after that. Few can hold up to that schedule and remain sound. The litany of those that never race again is lengthy, robbing the sport of its young superstars.
"It's a grind. There's been a lot of real good horses ruined trying to do this, trying to get ready to do this," Hall of Fame trainer Buddy Delp told Louisville magazine. "Some are pushed too much to make it, and some are not trained enough to make it. It's so grueling on the horse."
Ford suggests the series could be improved by having the horses run at 4 years and spreading the Triple Crown from May to September.
What I find interesting (in especially in view of my recent blog on recovery) is the obvious parallels to many of the discussions runners have about children running, pressure on young athletes, the pressure on elite runners, and yes the pressure we put on ourselves to race and perform (even if not on an elite level).
The lessons for human athletes would be to listen to your body and remember that rest is an important component of training (and not an absence of training) and that we should never put so much into one event that we risk destroying our ability to continue running.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Haverford Township Restaurants
A while ago I blogged about mapping and running. The link below has nothing to do with running but shows the location of Haverford Township restaurants. Right now there are only five but I hope to expand the listings.
Tim Denny, the Township's Recreation Director, created a charity - HaverfordCares to assist with hurricane relief.
We hope to have a "Taste of Haverford" where restaurants set up tastings of their best offerings and money is raised thru admission fees and possibly auctions.
This map will assist in indentifying the restaurants.
Haverford Township Restaurants
A while ago I blogged about mapping and running. The link below has nothing to do with running but shows the location of Haverford Township restaurants. Right now there are only five but I hope to expand the listings.
Tim Denny, the Township's Recreation Director, created a charity - HaverfordCares to assist with hurricane relief.
We hope to have a "Taste of Haverford" where restaurants set up tastings of their best offerings and money is raised thru admission fees and possibly auctions.
This map will assist in indentifying the restaurants.
Haverford Township Restaurants
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Marathon Recovery
I am curious what other runners are doing for recovery. Both on line articles and in the many running books I have, marathon recovery means very little running and certainly no speed work. The recovery period is one day for every mile run but some recommend even longer.
Certainly, I don’t want to risk injury and I am sure these recommendations are based on real runners’ experience.
However, I do wonder – while I am on my feet twice as long as an elite runner I don’t believe my running either before or during the race is as stressful as the for the elite runner.
I went out today for a recovery run – whereas on a “normal” Sunday I would so 10 to 12 miles, today I did about 4.5. I will admit my legs felt somewhat heavy, but that may have been due to yesterday’s 15 trips to the attic for Christmas decorations rather than marathon running. No serious aches. It was rather nice to make that last turn from home and feel full of energy (good thing since I had a couple of hours of leaf raking ahead of me.)
So I will keep the mileage down (and with the Christmas season coming that’s a necessity anyway) but on December 11th, I will run a local 5K and hope to run hard. Then it’s time for Christmas lights running. After that it I will look into some
cross training – I am especially hoping to do some biking if the weather cooperates. But I still wonder how much?
So what is your winter schedule like?
I am curious what other runners are doing for recovery. Both on line articles and in the many running books I have, marathon recovery means very little running and certainly no speed work. The recovery period is one day for every mile run but some recommend even longer.
Certainly, I don’t want to risk injury and I am sure these recommendations are based on real runners’ experience.
However, I do wonder – while I am on my feet twice as long as an elite runner I don’t believe my running either before or during the race is as stressful as the for the elite runner.
I went out today for a recovery run – whereas on a “normal” Sunday I would so 10 to 12 miles, today I did about 4.5. I will admit my legs felt somewhat heavy, but that may have been due to yesterday’s 15 trips to the attic for Christmas decorations rather than marathon running. No serious aches. It was rather nice to make that last turn from home and feel full of energy (good thing since I had a couple of hours of leaf raking ahead of me.)
So I will keep the mileage down (and with the Christmas season coming that’s a necessity anyway) but on December 11th, I will run a local 5K and hope to run hard. Then it’s time for Christmas lights running. After that it I will look into some
cross training – I am especially hoping to do some biking if the weather cooperates. But I still wonder how much?
So what is your winter schedule like?
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Maps and Running
Maps and Running
I have always loved maps. Geography was a favorite of mine and I loved making the maps that showed facts about the country. I loved drawing maps even though my renderings were never very neat. I am always amazed when I read of the map illiteracy of so many people.
My love of maps may explained my obsession with Google maps and all the mash ups But maps are also integral to runners. Many if not most runners want to see a map of a race course, all the better if the map also has an elevation chart. Therefore, it is no surprise that a number of mash ups have been made that explicitly address running.
Some of the ones I have investigated follow:
One of the earliest and easiest to use is Gmap pedometer: This app allows you to map any course you choose and determine mileage.
Map my run has a lot of nice features and allows you to save your run and view other runs.
Walk, Jog , Run is an interesting site but I found it a little buggy and hard to work with. Worked to build a run, only to have it disappear on save. But it is worth a look.
Favorite Run also allows you to plot a run and save it. It also has a run log feature which I have not used but looks interesting.
If you run with a GPS device (like Forerunner) that allows downloads this site would be useful:
Also useful if you have a GPS is Run Outside
A new favorite of mine is Wayfaring.
This site allows you to map a route and add "waypoints", notes, and tags. I did one on the Philadelphia Marathon. Didn't get it exactly right but I explained why in a note.
Finally there is Frappr. This google hack allows group members to plot themselves on a map. Contributors can add their photo and comments. This one is great fun.
I have created two maps: the Dead Runners Society and the Bryn Mawr Runners Club
Let me know if you find any of these useful.
I have always loved maps. Geography was a favorite of mine and I loved making the maps that showed facts about the country. I loved drawing maps even though my renderings were never very neat. I am always amazed when I read of the map illiteracy of so many people.
My love of maps may explained my obsession with Google maps and all the mash ups But maps are also integral to runners. Many if not most runners want to see a map of a race course, all the better if the map also has an elevation chart. Therefore, it is no surprise that a number of mash ups have been made that explicitly address running.
Some of the ones I have investigated follow:
One of the earliest and easiest to use is Gmap pedometer: This app allows you to map any course you choose and determine mileage.
Map my run has a lot of nice features and allows you to save your run and view other runs.
Walk, Jog , Run is an interesting site but I found it a little buggy and hard to work with. Worked to build a run, only to have it disappear on save. But it is worth a look.
Favorite Run also allows you to plot a run and save it. It also has a run log feature which I have not used but looks interesting.
If you run with a GPS device (like Forerunner) that allows downloads this site would be useful:
Also useful if you have a GPS is Run Outside
A new favorite of mine is Wayfaring.
This site allows you to map a route and add "waypoints", notes, and tags. I did one on the Philadelphia Marathon. Didn't get it exactly right but I explained why in a note.
Finally there is Frappr. This google hack allows group members to plot themselves on a map. Contributors can add their photo and comments. This one is great fun.
I have created two maps: the Dead Runners Society and the Bryn Mawr Runners Club
Let me know if you find any of these useful.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Philadelphia Marathon
I just fired off a letter to the organizers thanking them for a job well done. The event was well organized and from a user point of view went off almost flawlessly. The volunteers were great. The kids who worked the refreshments, baggage, and chip removal were polite, cheerful, and eager to help. Where do they get them? It makes me optimistic about the next generation.
The weather cooperated with almost perfect running weather. Cool not cold, light winds, lots of fall sunshine. It seemed very crowded but the numbers listed as finishers seemed about the same as last year.
I drove down with my friend Mukund and his son who was running the Rothman 8K. We found parking near my usual spot on 33rd Street and walked over to Eakins Oval. What seems so easy in the morning will be a long hike coming back.
Mukund was planning on going out for a 3:45 finish while I was hoping for a solid 4.
The start area was crowded but not excessively. I saw an acquaintance from the Bryn Mawr Running Club. He suggested I run with his son who was running his first marathon and was also aiming at four. I was a little reluctant since I am not a good pacer but figured it wouldn't hurt to start together. It turned out to be a good decision. John ran smart and kept us at a good pace even when I tended to surge forward. I only hope I didn't bug him too much with my constant prattle. I am normally quite taciturn but something about running endorphins (at least for the first 14 miles) makes me quite voluble.
The course is a great tour of Philadelphia, each street with its own character, the majestic Parkway, Arch Street's Chinatown, Race Street's Old City, and then a long stretch on Columbus Blvd - a shame the city hasn't figured how to use this great resource. Under I95 and back up Front to South, back to the oldest part of the City when you turn up Sixth Street and pass Independence Hall. A long run takes you west on Chestnut over the Schuylkill and into West Philly past Drexel and the U of Pennsylvania, turning onto 34th. The first real uphill is here. 34th goes by the Zoo. Always think it would be cool if the Zoo could bring out some animals but I guess it would be too stressful for the animals. We did get a good view of the Zoo Balloon which I got to ride a couple of weeks ago. Here the course dips into Fairmont Park, downhill and then up the steepest hill of the course. It seemed easy this year. You go pass Memorial Hall - one of the last buildings of the 1876 Centennial. Then up Belmont turning into the ground of the Horticultural Center. Nice treat this year - the course went directly by the Japanese House. A gift to Philadelphia from Japan it was renovated in the 90‚'s and looks great. Back out and down to Martin Luther King Drive (West River). You can look over to Kelly Driver and see the leaders going out to Manayunk. I told John: I wish I could be them; I glad I am not them. He understood the sentiment perfectly. Warned John to be careful on the sharp downhill; take it but not too fast or hard. We are quickly to the half. And then we go on up MLK to the Art Museum. Since this is also the finish the crowds are thickest and loudest here. They made the way a little wider and the crunch is not as tight as previous years. Kelly Drive is a beautiful place to run. It is framed by the river on your left and a wooded hillside that hides the railway just above. You pass wonderful public sculpture that I am sure most runners miss but that I treasure and use as landmarks. Now some people love the out and back of Kelly Drive and some hate it. There are few spectators but except for a small section where you transition to Ridge Avenue you get to see the runners ahead of you coming back on their last six miles. For me it is always exciting seeing the lead runners and then later look to cheer friends who are on their way back. There is one last tough climb up an overpass to get back to Kelly Drive and then it is all downhill until you get back to Boathouse Row for the push and the slight uphill to the Art Museum finish. Through the finish and hopefully the finish photos will show me robust and happy.
Tried to get my chip off and began to cramp when a young volunteer came to my aid. I asked her if she could retie my shoe which she cheerfully did using a method I had never seen before. After thanking her profusely I also thank her for showing me a new tie technique and how great it was to learn something new. I think she got a kick out of that.
This year I felt good longer then ever. Didn't drop off pace until mile 19. No anti-water stops (I had four in NY). Lost a full minute when I had a one of those moments that often occur to addled runners late in a race. I fumbled ridiculously trying to get my gel out of my pocket. It should have been a easy motor skill task but somehow I couldn't get my gloved hand to locate and grasp the packet. Thinking clearly I could have stripped the glove off - long past its usefulness or just abandoned the quest altogether. But I doggedly yank and tugged wasting precious time. Yikes. (Worst I was only wearing one glove - got to the start and only had one glove so I did a Michael Jackson and wore the one on my left hand. Actually worked pretty well since the bare hand got wet and sticky. But I should have lost the glove around mile ten.)
There was some cramping - I managed to lose my Succeed somewhere on the course probably when I went for the gel. I had one scare where my right foot really seized up, but mercifully the cramping eased; partly due to a new product I tried- Clif Bar blocks. I know that you are not supposed to try anything new marathon day, but I had tried these at the Expo and they seemed innocuous enough. They are gels that Clif advertises as electrolyte replacements. They were easy to ingest, didn't taste horrible, and did seem to give me some energy late in the race. I was worried they would melt but they held up fine and got me thru the late miles.
I have said in the past that Philly is a great destination marathon. It has some of atmosphere of big races but continues to offer the intimacy of smaller venues. The city looked great; the spectators where present were enthusiastic. It is a very BQ friendly course.
I walked back to my car with a group of women who asked about the marathon. Turns out they had been at the Art Museum not for the race but for a Segway tour of the city. Sounded like great fun (my wife said I guess you are going to have to do that - and yes I will).
I just fired off a letter to the organizers thanking them for a job well done. The event was well organized and from a user point of view went off almost flawlessly. The volunteers were great. The kids who worked the refreshments, baggage, and chip removal were polite, cheerful, and eager to help. Where do they get them? It makes me optimistic about the next generation.
The weather cooperated with almost perfect running weather. Cool not cold, light winds, lots of fall sunshine. It seemed very crowded but the numbers listed as finishers seemed about the same as last year.
I drove down with my friend Mukund and his son who was running the Rothman 8K. We found parking near my usual spot on 33rd Street and walked over to Eakins Oval. What seems so easy in the morning will be a long hike coming back.
Mukund was planning on going out for a 3:45 finish while I was hoping for a solid 4.
The start area was crowded but not excessively. I saw an acquaintance from the Bryn Mawr Running Club. He suggested I run with his son who was running his first marathon and was also aiming at four. I was a little reluctant since I am not a good pacer but figured it wouldn't hurt to start together. It turned out to be a good decision. John ran smart and kept us at a good pace even when I tended to surge forward. I only hope I didn't bug him too much with my constant prattle. I am normally quite taciturn but something about running endorphins (at least for the first 14 miles) makes me quite voluble.
The course is a great tour of Philadelphia, each street with its own character, the majestic Parkway, Arch Street's Chinatown, Race Street's Old City, and then a long stretch on Columbus Blvd - a shame the city hasn't figured how to use this great resource. Under I95 and back up Front to South, back to the oldest part of the City when you turn up Sixth Street and pass Independence Hall. A long run takes you west on Chestnut over the Schuylkill and into West Philly past Drexel and the U of Pennsylvania, turning onto 34th. The first real uphill is here. 34th goes by the Zoo. Always think it would be cool if the Zoo could bring out some animals but I guess it would be too stressful for the animals. We did get a good view of the Zoo Balloon which I got to ride a couple of weeks ago. Here the course dips into Fairmont Park, downhill and then up the steepest hill of the course. It seemed easy this year. You go pass Memorial Hall - one of the last buildings of the 1876 Centennial. Then up Belmont turning into the ground of the Horticultural Center. Nice treat this year - the course went directly by the Japanese House. A gift to Philadelphia from Japan it was renovated in the 90‚'s and looks great. Back out and down to Martin Luther King Drive (West River). You can look over to Kelly Driver and see the leaders going out to Manayunk. I told John: I wish I could be them; I glad I am not them. He understood the sentiment perfectly. Warned John to be careful on the sharp downhill; take it but not too fast or hard. We are quickly to the half. And then we go on up MLK to the Art Museum. Since this is also the finish the crowds are thickest and loudest here. They made the way a little wider and the crunch is not as tight as previous years. Kelly Drive is a beautiful place to run. It is framed by the river on your left and a wooded hillside that hides the railway just above. You pass wonderful public sculpture that I am sure most runners miss but that I treasure and use as landmarks. Now some people love the out and back of Kelly Drive and some hate it. There are few spectators but except for a small section where you transition to Ridge Avenue you get to see the runners ahead of you coming back on their last six miles. For me it is always exciting seeing the lead runners and then later look to cheer friends who are on their way back. There is one last tough climb up an overpass to get back to Kelly Drive and then it is all downhill until you get back to Boathouse Row for the push and the slight uphill to the Art Museum finish. Through the finish and hopefully the finish photos will show me robust and happy.
Tried to get my chip off and began to cramp when a young volunteer came to my aid. I asked her if she could retie my shoe which she cheerfully did using a method I had never seen before. After thanking her profusely I also thank her for showing me a new tie technique and how great it was to learn something new. I think she got a kick out of that.
This year I felt good longer then ever. Didn't drop off pace until mile 19. No anti-water stops (I had four in NY). Lost a full minute when I had a one of those moments that often occur to addled runners late in a race. I fumbled ridiculously trying to get my gel out of my pocket. It should have been a easy motor skill task but somehow I couldn't get my gloved hand to locate and grasp the packet. Thinking clearly I could have stripped the glove off - long past its usefulness or just abandoned the quest altogether. But I doggedly yank and tugged wasting precious time. Yikes. (Worst I was only wearing one glove - got to the start and only had one glove so I did a Michael Jackson and wore the one on my left hand. Actually worked pretty well since the bare hand got wet and sticky. But I should have lost the glove around mile ten.)
There was some cramping - I managed to lose my Succeed somewhere on the course probably when I went for the gel. I had one scare where my right foot really seized up, but mercifully the cramping eased; partly due to a new product I tried- Clif Bar blocks. I know that you are not supposed to try anything new marathon day, but I had tried these at the Expo and they seemed innocuous enough. They are gels that Clif advertises as electrolyte replacements. They were easy to ingest, didn't taste horrible, and did seem to give me some energy late in the race. I was worried they would melt but they held up fine and got me thru the late miles.
I have said in the past that Philly is a great destination marathon. It has some of atmosphere of big races but continues to offer the intimacy of smaller venues. The city looked great; the spectators where present were enthusiastic. It is a very BQ friendly course.
I walked back to my car with a group of women who asked about the marathon. Turns out they had been at the Art Museum not for the race but for a Segway tour of the city. Sounded like great fun (my wife said I guess you are going to have to do that - and yes I will).
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