Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Just Shut Up and Walk!

This morning I woke up with all sorts of issues cluttering up my mind. My blistered heel still hurt, I stayed up too late last night analyising photos and results from Sunday's race, last time I did the morning walk after a 20.5 mile workout I was at 13:20 minutes per mile and I didn't want to disappoint myself again. I was tired and hurting but I really wanted to see if I picked up anything by watching the elite walkers--so it was time to shut up, get out the door and walk.
Mile 1 - 11:18
Mile 2 - 11:09
Mile 3 - 11:20
Mile 4 - 11:28
Mile 5 - 11:32
Mile 6 - 11:14
Average Pace - 11:20 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 1:08:05

It was the best morning workout yet. My heart rate was around 170-175 bpm so this was pretty much race pace.

I don't want to start making predictions on how I'll do on the marathon then fall short of those expectations. I'll just keep pushing myself, have fun with it and hopefully give it my best shot. If I'm still having fun after the marathon, I'm thinking about changing over to measuring my workouts in kilometers and sticking to 1/2 marathon and shorter distances. That way it won't take so long to build up to a race and I can do more competition. Anyway, it's time to put my shoes where my mouth is--or something like that.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Chula Vista USATF Racewalking Event

I made it to the big racewalking event in Chula Vista yesterday. My main goal was to see how the elite athletes do it and maybe learn something. It turned out to be quite something, sort of like a three ring circus, except without the three rings, the clowns--alright, it was nothing like a circus but a combination of a 10k, 20k, 50k and even a 5k "South Bay People's Walk" all starting at the same time!











Erik Tysse from Norway. First to finish coming in at 3:57:35.


Kevin Easter, first U.S. finisher at 4:05:44.

USATF 50KM RACEWALK CHAMPIONSHIPS
CHULA VISTA, CA
JANUARY 28, 2007

“Never again,” Kevin Eastler said, after walking away with the USATF 50km Racewalk title in his 50km debut at the Chula Vista Marina this morning.

Eastler was on pace for an Olympic ‘A’ time standard (4:00:00) until the final kilometers of the grueling endurance event. He was able to hold off 2006 USATF 50km Champion, Philip Dunn, in a time of 4:05:44. Dunn walked to a solid second place finish in 4:09:54, his fastest time since qualifying for the 2004 Olympics.

John Nunn, a San Diego resident and member of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, finished third in his debut 50km, 4:14:16. Rounding out the top six were Ray Sharp, 4:26:07, Curt Clausen, 4:27:41, and Mark Green, 4:37:28, a new American Record in the 50-54 age group.

The women’s winner Heidi Hauch (5:42:55) defended her 2006 title in convincing fashion over 50km newcomers Karen Karavanic (6:21:01), Dora Choi (6:33:57) and Annmarie Bruning (6:43:25).

50km Championships

Note that in the championships results only US athletes can place. However, walkers from other countries are welcome to record their official times.

In my obsession with pace, I calculated the average pace in minutes per kilometer and mile. Because the pace is to the nearest second and not calculated to the tenths or hundreth of a second, the same pace can result in different finishing times.

Men
.                                                                                              Pace
. Name Age City, St. Country Team Time min/km min/mi
. ERIK TYSSE 26 NORWAY 3:57:35 4:45 7:38
. JAVIER MORENO 27 ECUADOR 3:57:53 4:45 7:39
1 KEVIN EASTLER 29 AURORA CO USA US AIR FORCE 4:05:44 4:54 7:54
. MECIAS ZAPATA 26 ECUADOR 4:06:19 4:55 7:55
2 PHILIP DUNN 35 SAN DIEGO CA USA NEW BALANCE 4:09:54 4:59 8:02
3 JOHN NUNN 28 CHULA VISTA CA USA US ARMY 4:14:16 5:05 8:11
4 RAYMOND SHARP 47 ATLANTIC MINE MI USA VARSANO'S CHOCOLATE RW 4:26:07 5:19 8:33
5 CURT CLAUSEN 39 DURHAM NC USA NEW YORK ATHLETIC 4:27:41 5:21 8:36
6 MARK GREEN 51 RENO NV USA UNATTACHED 4:37:28* 5:32 8:55
7 MARCO EVONIUK 48 SAN FRANCISCO CA USA UNATTACHED 4:39:07 5:34 8:59
8 JOHN SOUCHECK 41 LITTLE SILVER NJ USA SHORE ATHLETIC CLUB 4:49:49 5:47 9:19
. CARLOS ROMERO 35 CHILE 5:15:05 6:18 10:08
9 DANIEL COUPAL 41 CLARA CA USA UNATTACHED 5:43:29 6:52 11:03
DNF THERON KISSINGER 36 SOUTHBURY CT USA NEW BALANCE
DNF DAVE MCGOVERN 41 KINGSTON NY USA VARSANO'S CHOCOATE RW/NB
DNF TIM SEAMAN 41 CHULA VISTA CA USA NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB
DNF STEVEN PECINOVSKY 52 WOODBRIDGE VA USA VARSANO'S CHOCOLATE RW
DNF MICHAEL KAZMIERCZAK 20 PLAINVIEW NY USA UNIV OF RHODE ISLAND
DNF FAUSTO QUINDE 31 ECUADOR
DQ STEPHEN MCCULLOUGH 45 ROCKY HILL CT USA UNATTACHED
DQ TIM BERRETT 42 CANADA
DQ JOHN CONSTANDINOU 34 CYPRUS
DNS STEVEN DIBERNARDO 54 SEATTLE WA USA UNATTACHED

* New American 50-54 record.

Women
1   HEIDI HAUCH         47  FOUNTAIN HILLS AZ USA  UNATTACHED                    5:42:55  6:51   11:02
2 KAREN KARAVANIC 56 PORTLAND OR USA WESTERN WOMEN GO THE DISTANCE 6:21:01 7:37 12:15
3 DORA CHOI 41 SEATTLE WA USA WESTERN WOMEN GO THE DISTANCE 6:33:57 7:52 12:40
4 ANNMARIE BRUNING 42 PORTLAND OR USA WESTERN WOMEN GO THE DISTANCE 6:43:25 8:04 12:59
DNF SANDY COILA 56 PORTLAND OR USA WESTERN WOMEN GO THE DISTANCE

USATF 50KM RACE WALK CHAMPIONSHIPS–10KM & 20KM RESULTS
CHULA VISTA MARINA, CA
JANUARY 28, 2007

The USATF 50km Racewalk Nationals brought out the finest endurance specialists, but the speedsters would not be denied their chance to shine. 10km and 20km walkers from around the country gathered to challenge themselves over the shorter distances. It was the women that excelled with great races from Joanne Dow and Teresa Vaill in the 20km and a wonderful trio of young women from Philadelphia in the 10km.

Dow and Vaill took advantage of early pacing help from Allen James and a few of the 50km walkers and quickly gapped the rest of the women's field. They were both on Olympic 'A' standard pace until the latter stages of the race. Dow and Vaill clocked 1:34:21 and 1:34:42, respectively, excellent marks for an early season effort.

Canadian Rachel Lavelle walked a good season opener with a 1:40:04, followed by Loretta Shuellein in 1:46:21.

Andres Chocho from Ecuador led the men across the line in 1:32:14. He was through the 10km in under 44 minutes but cruised it in after a few cautions from the judging panel. Allen James led the American contingent in 1:36:04.

The 10km was dominated by the youthful Philadelphia crew of Solomiya Login, Diana Rado and Pamela Alva. Keep an eye on these three because they made walking fast look easy. Login notched a 52:31 PR to lead all finishers in the non-championship 10km. Rado and Alva, stepping up to the 10km distance for the first time, have only been racewalking for eight months but looked like seasoned pros in 55:03 and 55:48.

James Oldon was the lone male 10km walker in 1:05:27.

A HUGE thank you goes out to the wonderful San Diego USATF officials, the racewalk judges, and the numerous volunteers who made all the races a success. A BIG thanks to Elite Racing for setting up the race course on race day, to the City of Chula Vista Police, to Hydralyte/Gookinaid for donating drinks on the course, to Pat & Oscar's for catering the athlete/officials lunch, and to Henry's Markets for providing snacks and beverages for the officials and volunteers.

20km REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Men
.                                                                                              Pace
. Name Age City, St. Country Team Time min/km min/mi
. ANDRES CHOCHO 24 ECUADOR 1:32:14 4:37 7:25
1 ALLEN JAMES 42 SANBORN NY 1:36:04 4:48 7:44
. LUC BUSSIERES 48 CANADA 2:17:38 6:53 11:04
2 JAMES PASCHALL 63 ENCINITAS CA 2:19:02 6:57 11:11
3 JACK CASSIDY 57 SAN DIEGO CA 2:21:31 7:05 11:23
DQ JOHN MURDZEK 47 SAN DIEGO CA

Women
1   JOANNE DOW          42  MANCHESTER NH USA      ADIDAS                        1:34:21   4:43   7:36
2 TERESA VAILL 44 GAINESVILLE FL USA WALK USA 1:34:42 4:44 7:37
. RACHEL LAVALLEE 20 CANADA 1:40:04 5:00 8:03
3 LORETTA SCHUELLEIN 29 OYSTER BAY NY USA WALK USA 1:46:21 5:19 8:33
4 ERIN TAYLOR 28 HACKENSACK NJ USA UNATTACHED 1:59:31 5:59 9:37
5 LIZ SALVATO 43 SAN DIEGO CA USA UNATTACHED 2:04:34 6:14 10:01
6 SUSAN MEARS 51 RENO NV USA PACIFIC RW ORG 2:17:14 6:52 11:03
7 MARY AGLIN 60 RENO NV USA PACIFIC RW ORG 2:20:45 7:02 11:20
8 VICKIE CADY 48 CARMEL VALLY CA USA UNATTACHED 2:21:19 7:04 11:22
9 MARGARET MCGUINNESS 50 ALOHA OR USA WESTERN WOMEN GO THE DISTANCE 2:32:46 7:38 12:18
DQ LAURA CARNAGIE 34 AMERICAN FORKS UT USA UNATTACHED

10km NON-CHAMPIONSHIP

Men
.                                                                                              Pace
. Name Age City, St. Country Team Time min/km min/mi
1 JAMES OLSON 44 SAN DIEGO CA USA 1:05:27 6:33 10:32

Women
1   SOLOMIYA LOGIN      26  PHILADELPHIA PA                                        52:31   5:15   8:27
2 DIANA RADO 18 PHILADELPHIA PA POLAND 55:03 5:30 8:52
3 PAMELA ALVA 18 PHILADELPHIA PA PERU 55:48 5:35 8:59
4 KAREN DAVIES 45 ENGLAND 1:02:22 6:14 10:02
5 SYLVIA ELLIS 59 NORTH HOLLYWOOD CA 1:05:12 6:31 10:30
6 LILIAN CORDOVA 35 CHULA VISTA CA USA 1:06:57 6:42 10:46
7 KAREN BYRNE 53 SOLANA BEACH CA USA 1:07:03 6:42 10:47
8 SUSAN COTTEY 54 SAN DIEGO CA USA 1:07:06 6:43 10:48
9 JULIE FOX 55 SAN DIEGO CA USA 1:12:55 7:17 11:44
10 PATRICIA PASCHALL 67 ENCINITAS CA USA 1:16:09 7:37 12:15
DQ ROBERTA HATFIELD 65 LAS VEGAS NV USA

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Yet another 20.5 mile workout

This morning I walked with Lindsey's L.A. Roadrunners group. Again we took a route where I didn't know where the mile markers were at so I can't put down the mile split times.
20.5 miles
Average Pace - 12:42 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 4:20:34

The plan was to do 20 miles but according to the people wearing Garmin GPS watches, we went another half-mile further. One of the walkers read her split times and the last 1/2 mile we did at an 11:58 pace.

This time I took along only two 8 ounce bottles of Hydralyte and five packets of GU Energy Gel. I got the "just plain" flavor which has some caffeine. I consumed one packet just before the start and one every hour. I skipped the last one because I didn't think it would do me much good with just under 2 miles to go. The Hydralyte added some electrolytes and made the GU go down easier. I only needed one bottle of Hydralyte, there was enough water on the course at the aid stations. I stuck to gulping down water, a trick I learned on the 10 mile race, instead of sipping from the bottle. I also skipped the snacks and Gatoraid, the GU and Hydralyte seemed to be sufficient and I didn't have to rely on finding what I needed at the aid stations other than just plain water.

I reached my goal of not falling down this time and finishing at the front of the group. I pushed a bit harder on the last mile and though I was feeling good enough to smoke the group, I didn't want to show off.

Not everything went perfectly--it seldom does. I had a little bit of pain on the top of my right foot so I skipped an eyelet when lacing that shoe and didn't snug it up enough when I tied the shoelace. As a result, I blistered my right heel. Nothing major, just enough to get a little blood on my brand new shoes. One of my toenails on my left foot is also a little sore, though I doubt it is enough to turn it black and fall off--I already had that experience once.

I won't be starting with Lindsey's group because they have a "starting corral" reserved and I'm not a member of the L.A. Roadrunners. Anyway, it doesn't matter because I'll be starting with my nephew who will be running the marathon--at least I hope he will be doing it, I haven't seen him workout for a long time and it is getting a little too late to get into condition.

This is probably the last workout I'll be doing with Lindsey's group. In a couple of weeks I'd like to walk the new L.A. Maraton course as my last long workout and reconnaissance mission before the actual race on March 4, 2007.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Better, but not quite there yet

I thought I did quite well on my first race but after crunching the numbers with the calculators on the North American Racewalking Foundation (NARF) website, I'm coming up short of the 12 minutes per mile pace for the marathon. Guess the only thing left to do now is to continue training.

This morning I tried out a new pair of Asics DS Trainers. I wore out the threads on the Loco Banditos and enough people have recommended that I get something with more support so I'll see how I do with these DS Trainers. They seem to have good support but aren't built like those "motion control" foot tanks designed for over pronating runners.

Anyway, this is how it went this morning:
Mile 1 - 11:32
Mile 2 - 11:25
Mile 3 - 11:42
Mile 4 - 11:48
Mile 5 - 11:49
Mile 6 - 11:35
Average Pace - 11:39 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 1:09:54

I'm not sure if it was a good idea going this fast a couple of days before the long distance workout. My heart rate stayed under 165 bpm so I wasn't pushing all that hard, or is my heart getting into condition and slowing down?

I decided to do the long workout with Lindsey's L.A. Roadrunners group on Saturday morning. I like the speed work with the Southern Cal Walkers but I need the distance walks and 20 miles is on Lindsey's schedule.

Sunday is the big racewalking event in Chula Vista and I'm looking forward to being a spectator.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Newspaper Clippings

Every once in a while I clip and save newspaper and magazine articles. Hope it is OK to do it on my blog -- I am quoting the source and not taking credit for it.



Race walking


Is it a sport or not? Some track coaches try to deny it, but its supporters include competitors and coaches



January 21, 2007




Racewalking...what is it?


USA Track and Field defines it:

  • Racewalking is a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes contact with the ground so that no visible (to the human eye) loss of contact occurs.

  • The advancing leg must be straightened (i.e., not bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground until in the vertical upright position.



Nate Rucker remembers sitting on the bus with his University of Dubuque track and field teammates waiting for their coach to give them the green light.

They had already arrived at the racing site, but the orders were to sit still because a racewalking event was still in progress on the track. Rucker’s coach refused to let his team file out of the bus with racewalkers in view.

“He said he didn’t want to subject us to having to watch it,” said Rucker, who now coaches racewalkers at Central Methodist University in Fayette.

That debate rages on. The legitimacy of the sport continues to be brought into question by collegiate track and field coaches who are intent on keeping the sport out of NCAA competition.

Michael Rohl, who is in his fifth year coaching track and field at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania, has been at the forefront of this debate. An advocate for racewalking at the NCAA Division I level, Rohl has written proposals advocating the addition of racewalking to NCAA coaches and committees but has been met with hesitance and even hostility.

“There’s been a lack of exposure and limited competition experience in the past,” Rohl said. “Coaches, as a group, are very inertia-bound. If they are doing something, they go all at it. If they aren’t, they don’t want to start.”

The lack of respect is widespread. Mention the word “racewalking” and the response is often a laugh followed by a comment about hip movements. The authenticity of the sport continues to be hurt by its stigma.

Wayne Armbrust, a track coach who now coaches his wife, pointed out the uniqueness of the sport.

“Look at it,” Armbrust said, pointing to his wife as she circled the MU track. “It looks funny. It used to look a lot funnier in the old days where there used to be a big hip wiggle. A lot of people make fun of the walking until they see it and see what tremendous athletes these walkers are. A lot of coaches still just make fun of it and ridicule it.”

Rohl and Mike Dewitt, the racewalking coach at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, said they will continue to push for the introduction of the event at the Division I level. It may be that technology will eliminate the concerns of illegitimate judging. Or it may take the U.S. falling further behind in international competitions before a push is made.

“The bottom line is that it has been around for a while, and it’s not going anywhere,” DeWitt said. “I think somewhere down the line, if things change one way or another, if people get back to the grass roots and see track and field as an opportunity to help people be more fit, then someone might finally see that there is a place for racewalking.”

Against the odds


Columbian came from nowhere to win 1972 Olympic bronze in 50K racewalking



January 21, 2007




The case sits inconspicuously in the back corner of the foyer of Larry Young’s Columbia home. Young comments on how one of the gold medals needs to be shined. The National Track and Field Hall of Fame says there should be 30 of them, but Young can only find 25, each denoting a national title that he captured.

Columbia resident Larry Young sits in his Columbia home gallery with his Olympic medals and a pair of his racewalking shoes. Young, who majored in art at Columbia College, has retired from racewalking and is now a sculptor. (ZACH HONIG/Missourian)


Above those 25 medals are two others, these Olympic bronzes. They’re not glitzy and likely wouldn’t catch more than a swift glance from an ignorant passerby. That is, until Young tells his story.

Ironically, the distance runner in high school never had Olympic ambitions. Just after the start of his senior year, Young turned on the television at his parents’ home and saw England’s Don Thompson win a gold medal in the 50K racewalk at the 1960 Olympics. Young was hooked.

“The next day, I went to school and was mimicking what I saw,” Young said. “My coach said, ‘Young, you look pretty good.’ They joked, ‘Young, you can walk as fast as you can run it.’”

It wasn’t until 1965, after Young finished serving in the Navy, that he decided to enter a racewalking competition.

Three years later, he was walking in the Olympics.

As the Games approached, not a single track and field magazine had Young named as a medal contender. He wasn’t even mentioned as a dark horse.

The conditions on the morning of the race were less than ideal. Extensive heat and dense fog made the high-altitude course even more grinding.

He had dined earlier that week with Paul Nihill, an English racewalker who had finished second in the 50K race four years before, and the two talked about the race. They talked about the conditions and the pace. Despite the change in altitude, Nihill insisted the typical 4-hour 10-minute pace would still hold true. Young wasn’t so convinced.

“You guys go out at your 4-hour 10-minute pace, and I’ll see you at 40K,” Young told Nihill.

Sure enough, around the 35K mark, Young surpassed Nihill.

“I went out at a conservative pace,” Young said. “I just let them go. I knew what I was capable of, and I wasn’t going to get sucked into that pace.”

Young took the podium later that day to receive his bronze medal after finishing in 4 hours and 20 minutes.

After the race, teammates congratulated him. But then there were the whispers that the win was a fluke. It was the mistakes of other racewalkers that opened the path for Young, they told him. Young thought of only one way to dispute that claim: Do it again.

He qualified for the Munich Olympics in 1972 and once again finished third. After the race, he walked into the team room to deliver a message: “There’s another fluke, you guys.”

Those 1972 Olympics would be the last for Young.

Young retired when the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Games in Moscow, but he still holds the distinction of being the only American to win a long-distance racewalking medal in the Olympics.

Soon after, Young replaced walks around the track with hours in his art studio. Young, who majored in art at Columbia College, began to sculpt.

One of his sculptures stands at the intersection of U.S. 63 and Broadway. There is one in the University Hospital and clinics atrium and others at Columbia College and Stephens College.

Young no longer racewalks. The gravel roads in front of his house aren’t suitable for walking long distances. And he would prefer to spend his time in the studio adjacent to his stone home, anyway.

But inside that home a man still speaks with pride. He remembers the details and his times in nearly every race during his 15-year career.

Young reached an echelon of success in a sport where he and his fellow walkers were viewed as “the ugly ducklings of track and field.” And it’s what is in that trophy case, situated in the corner of the foyer, that tells the end of the story.

Missouri professor hopes to compete in her 15th Masters Championship



January 21, 2007




Gayle Johnson was never one to mock racewalkers. Actually, she had always found a sort of intrigue in the sport.

“I always thought racewalking was kind of interesting,” said Johnson, a professor of veterinary medicine at MU. “It had all these restrictions, kind of like being an adult, where you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

Wayne Armbrust times his wife, Gayle Johnson, as she practices at the Hearnes Center. Armbrust is both Johnson’s coach and husband. Racewalking is how the two met. The peak of Johnson’s racewalking career came during the 2000-2001 season, in which she set a world record among women ages 50-54. (BRANDON KRUSE/Missourian)


So when she saw Jack Mortland, a 1964 Olympian, racewalking though an Ohio park one day in 1988, she decided to pick his brain. Johnson had been running marathons since the mid-1970s. However, she figured racewalking could provide a new challenge as well as less wear on her body.

Now, at the age of 58, Johnson has competed in U.S. Championship races, finishing as high as 10th in her age group one year, and even in the 2002 National Championship as a racewalker in Eugene, Ore.

Racewalking even played an indirect role in helping Johnson meet her husband. Only a few months after Johnson met Mortland, Wayne Armbrust first spotted her walking around the Ohio State fieldhouse track. Armbrust, a level-three certified track coach, began to coach Johnson in the sport. Three years later, the two married.

Johnson’s peak came during the 2000-2001 season, which included setting a world record among women ages 50-54 at an indoor 3K race at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

After recovering from a broken arm last year, Johnson has picked up her training regimen in hopes of earning an invitation to her 15th Masters Championship next year.

“People may decide that because someone is walking, they can’t run,” said Johnson, who trains daily, often with Armbrust standing alongside. “For me, I look at it as an alternative.”

Moving past the laughter


Central Methodist senior, first amused by sport, is current NAIA champion



January 21, 2007




When Patrick Stroupe showed up at the Central Methodist University track in Fayette as a freshman in 2003, he saw then-junior Beth Lewis walking around the track and started laughing.

Her form was odd, he thought, and the sport even stranger. He mocked her movement until Gary Stoner, CMU’s track and field coach at the time, told Stroupe he should give it a try.

Patrick Stroupe practices separately from the rest of the Central Methodist track team in November 2006. ( MAGDA SAKAAN/Missourian)


Four months later, Stroupe claimed the NAIA outdoor racewalking championship.

The track event has allowed Stroupe, a mediocre long-distance track runner in high school, the opportunity to compete each year for a national championship. The only catch? Now it’s his turn to be on the receiving end of the jokes.

“I still get heckled and laughed at all the time, but that’s OK,” Stroupe said. “Like one time, I was walking up through a park, and an old lady said, ‘My, you walk funny.’”

Last summer, Stroupe received an invitation to represent the U.S. team at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Islands Track and Field Meet in the Dominican Republic. One of two racewalkers on the U.S. team, Stroupe finished last in the 10K racewalk, although three of the other eight walkers were disqualified for technical errors.

Stroupe has set a goal of claiming his second indoor and third outdoor NAIA championships this year. Then the sights shift to the U.S. Championships and Olympic trials.

He still takes the jokes and teasing in good stride. He’s learned to love an often-stigmatized sport, and he knows that more success is on the horizon. All anyone has to do is listen to his voice mail recording.

“Hi, this is Patrick Stroupe. I’m out winning a national championship.”


Copyright © 2007 Columbia Missourian

Lucky Penny

Last week I was, well, weak. It took me a few days to recover from the 20 mile workout. Today, thought not fully recovered from the 10 mile race, I was feeling pretty good. The 20 miler was on a Saturday and I had a couple of days of rest while the 10 miler was Sunday and I did my strength training ritual on Monday and that seemed to aid in recovery. Then again I fell on the 20 miler and got a metal for the 10 miler so that probably had something to do with the recovery time.

This morning I caught myself day dreaming on mile 4 and being the meiser that I am I stopped to pick up a penny on mile 5. It must have been a good luck penny--for the first time I walked every mile under 12 minutes.
Mile 1 - 11:53
Mile 2 - 11:54
Mile 3 - 11:39
Mile 4 - 11:59
Mile 5 - 11:58
Mile 6 - 11:36

Average Pace - 11:50 minutes per mile

Total Workout - 1:11:02

Heart beat stayed around 160 bpm so it wasn't that hard of an effort, it fealt good.

What didn't feel good was that I hit the inside of my left ankle a few times with my right foot--ouch! I had a little sore spot there when I did the same thing on the 10 mile race, but this time it ended up bleeding. People have told me that I rotate my right foot too much and it was my right knee that caused the most problems. Looks like I'll have to stop day dreaming and concentrate more on form.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

First Race

I did it, I entered my first official race on my 52nd birthday. It was a 10 mile racewalk around the Rose Bowl and adjacent golf course put on by the Walkers Club of Los Angeles.




What in the world was I thinking, putting myself on the starting line with these really fast racewalkers? I started out right behind the leaders and talked myself into letting them go or I wouldn't be able to finish. My heart rate monitor on the closeup shot was reading 174--that's pretty much where it was for most of the race. I had to go with the heart rate monitor because I pressed the wrong button on my watch and didn't start the stopwatch. There were 5k, 10k and 15k splits marked on the course so I was able to check my time on the second and third 5k.
2nd 5k - 35:41
3rd 5k - 36:03

Not bad, I was close to my 12 minute per mile pace. But how did I do overall?
10 Miles - 1:54:35
Average Pace - 11:27 minutes per mile

That was the best 10 miles I ever walked. It was a tough course, some uphills and bridge crossings and one side of the course was a long gentle climb while the other side was gentle downhill. On the uphill side of the course I kept thinking that I wouldn't be able to finish the 10 miles and on the downhill side I was flying.

I ended up somewhere around 6th place but since it was split up into male/female and age groups, I actually won my age group. There was only one other male in my age group and, small world, he was one of my fellow classmates from Dave McGovern's racewalking clinic.



That's probably the best birthday present I ever got. There were some older men and a woman that finished way ahead of me, but I'm allowed to gloat on my birthday.

Let's not forget about my wife, Rosie. She took some photos and entered the 5k racewalk in the non-judged category.
5k - 45:36
Average Pace - 14:40 minutes per mile

Now she's hooked and wants to go to the weekend club workouts--that's fine by me!

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Ready or Not?

Tomorrow will be my first racewalking race, and my 52nd birthday. Am I ready? Are my knees ready for this?

This morning I worked out with the Southern Cal Walkers. Just some easy accelerations. It was good being able to have a nice chat with Carl Acosta while working out and not having to concentrate on timing my laps.

What to expect tomorrow? I looked up last year's results just to get an idea of how fast the field was moving.

Walkers Club of Los Angeles 2006 10-mile Judged
Finish   Time      Pace    Name                 Age   Club        Age  :  Position / Notes
Position Group:
1 1:17:42 7:46 Philip Dunn 34 30-39: 1st / Fastest Male
2 1:18:36 7:51 Dave McGovern 40 Varsano's 40-49: 1st
3 1:29:30 8:57 Chris Rael 46 40-49: 2nd
4 1:32:59 9:17 Pedro Santoni 48 SCW 40-49: 3rd
5 1:34:01 9:24 Margaret Ditchburn 31 30-39: 2nd / Fastest Female
6 1:43:30 10:21 Mario Lopez 48 WCLA 40-49: 4th
7 1:43:35 10:21 John Backlund 65 RW NW 60-69: 1st
8 1:46:14 10:37 Deo Jaravata 40 40-49: 5th
9 1:46:59 10:41 Jolene Steigerwalt 62 SCW 60-69: 2nd / (1st Female)
10 1:50:50 11:05 Carol Bertino 58 ES 50-59: 1st
11 1:50:55 11:05 Carl Acosta 71 WCLA 70-79: 1st
12 1:57:35 11:45 Darlene Backlund 60 RW NW 60-69: 2nd
13 1:57:57 11:47 Al Cazas 46 IER 40-49: 6th
14 1:58:05 11:48 Brandye Smith 45 LA RR 40-49: 7th
15 1:58:57 11:53 Martha Fitzpatrick 62 SCW 60-69: 3rd
16 2:00:53 12:05 Ray Billig 48 SCW 40-49: 8th
17 2:01:07 12:06 Leon Glazman 72 WCLA 70-79: 2nd
18 2:16:41 13:40 Patti Kennedy 75 IER 70-79: 3rd / (1st Female)

I calculated the pace and at first I thought my formula was wrong. There were some very fast walkers there last year. Philip Dunn was on the U.S. Olympic team. Dave McGovern is a legendary athlete, coach, author and runs the best known racewalking clinics. Of course there's also Mario Lopez, fastest racewalker in last year's L.A. Marathon and Carl Acosta who coaches the Southern Cal Walkers on Saturday mornings.

This year the elite walkers are being drawn to the big event in Chula Vista next week so it will probably be a smaller field. Surprisingly there were no male's in my age group last year and only one female, Carol Bertino. However, she walked at an 11:05 minute per mile pace--that will be a very challenging pace for me at this point in my training. I think my knees just started hurting!

Thursday, January 18, 2007

I'm Baaaaack!

Not that I've been away, but my speed is back to what it used to be before last Saturday's long walk.
Mile 1 - 11:33
Mile 2 - 11:32
Mile 3 - 12:00
Mile 4 - 12:04
Mile 5 - 12:06
Mile 6 - 11:48
Average Pace - 11:51
Total Workout - 1:11:06

I was able to get my heartbeat up around 165-175 bpm on this walk. Compare that with only 140-150 bpm on Tuesday.

This gives me the confidence I need to race 10 miles on Sunday--though I'm only doing it as a training run, I don't expect to win anything.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Icy Walk

It was so cold this morning that I did my morning walk in sweat shirt and sweat pants--and I didn't break a sweat. There were a few very slippery spots on the sidewalk and it took a while for me to realize that it was solid ice. Now that's really unusual for Los Angeles.

I pushed hard but couldn't get up to speed. When I checked the split at mile two I almost gave up, but figured that doing the full six miles slowly would be better than quiting. After all, I did do 20.5 miles on Saturday and it takes a few days to recover. Yesterday I walked about 2.5 miles with Rosie but didn't time it because it was more of a recovery walk for me.
Mile 1 - 12:26
Mile 2 - 13:13
Mile 3 - 13:39
Mile 4 - 13:37
Mile 5 - 13:40
Mile 6 - 13:24
Average Pace - 13:20
Total Workout - 1:20:02

This isn't even worth writing down except as a record of how long it takes me to recover from a long workout. My legs feel fine and even my knees are doing pretty good. Can't say the same for my right arm, that's the one I used to break my fall on Saturday. Embarrassing as it was, I wasn't the only one who went down that day. One of my co-workers was in a running group where several runners fell down. Guess it's more common than I thought.

Anyway, I didn't send in my entry form for Sunday's 10 mile racewalk at the Rose Bowl yet. If I feel up to it, I'll enter just before the race.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Going Postal, how far can you go in an hour?

I've never done a one hour "Postal" racewalk, heck I've never competed in any racewalking event, but I have seen one. See this post for some photos of a Postal race.

The distance is measured in meters but to satisfy my curiosity I decided to calculate the paces of last year's Southern Cal Walkers Postals.
Contestant                 Age  Distance         Average Pace
Chris Rael Male 47 10,680 meters 9:02 min/mi
Pedro Santoni Male 49 10,673 meters 9:03 min/mi
Rick Campbell Male 60 10,214 meters 9:27 min/mi
Donna Cunningham Female 59 9,852 meters 9:48 min/mi
Ray Billig Male 49 9,441 meters 10:14 min/mi
Alan Ede Male 67 9,361 meters 10:19 min/mi
Jolene Steigerwalt Female 63 9,223 meters 10:28 min/mi
Carl Acosta Male 72 9,195 meters 10:30 min/mi
Bob Nyman Male 67 9,084 meters 10:38 min/mi
Carol Bertino Female 59 8,879 meters 10:53 min/mi
Bill Moremen Male 78 8,789 meters 10:59 min/mi
Leon Glazman Male 72 8,457 meters 11:25 min/mi
Arvid Rolle Male 72 8,451 meters 11:26 min/mi
Shirley Capps Female 71 8,415 meters 11:28 min/mi
Roberta Hatfield Female 65 8,273 meters 11:40 min/mi
Nancy Alexander Female 66 8,226 meters 11:44 min/mi
Ellis Jones Male 62 8,100 meters 11:55 min/mi
Joan McIntyre Female 70 7,881 meters 12:15 min/mi
Anelise Smith Female 67 7,774 meters 12:25 min/mi
M.J. Sullivan Female 64 7,433 meters 12:59 min/mi
Patti Kennedy Female 76 7,382 meters 13:05 min/mi
Margaret Fields Female 63 7,345 meters 13:09 min/mi
Jenny Dean Female 55 7,211 meters 13:23 min/mi
Bigalita Egger Female 65 7,136 meters 13:32 min/mi
Grace Moremen Female 75 7,081 meters 13:38 min/mi
M. Noritake Male 82 6,970 meters 13:51 min/mi
Soula Thomas Female 82 6,875 meters 14:03 min/mi
Pat Willis Female 70 6,538 meters 14:46 min/mi

I'm impressed. If I am to compete in my age group I should be doing much better than 12 min/mi for a six-mile walk. Looks like I'm going to have to push up the pace for the morning workouts.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Walking with the L.A. Roadrunners

Wow, was it cold and dry this morning--freezing cold, very unusual for Los Angeles. There was also a breeze which made it seem even colder. Some people showed up bundled up but I just put on a light thermal top under my usual racing shirt and glove liners on my hands. It worked fine once I warmed up.

I met up with Lindsey Goldbloom's group at around 6:30am (still quite dark at that hour) at Venice Beach and was surprised to find that there were lots of other walking groups. The Roadrunners had about five groups and there were several walking groups from the L.A. Leggers too. It turns out that Linsey heads the fastest walking group for the L.A. Roadrunners.

There were about eight people in the group, everyone but one had more experience than me. I was able to keep up quite nicely until mile 17 when I tripped on a bump in sidewalk and fell down. I jumped back on my feet and announced that I was fine, but it did shake me up, scraped my knee and threw off my pace for the rest of the workout. I faded back about a minute or two from the pack but caught up with a couple of the walkers on the last mile and passed them. It was tough, but that was the right group for me--challenging but not out of my league.

We started in Venice Beach, went up the Santa Monica Pier bridge to California street then all the way around the Marina to Playa del Rey and back. I wasn't familiar with the mile markers and we took some strange detours so I wasn't able to keep track of most of my mile split times. When it was all over some of the people with GPS watches said that we went over 20 miles, somewhere between 2.4 and 2.6, let's just call it 20.5 miles.
20.5 Miles
Average Pace - 12:43 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 4:20:52

Would I do it again? Sure, it was great getting that group support and with the aid stations I didn't go through all my Hydralyte. Next time I'd take less liquids and more gels.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Warming up is Important

I got a lesson in the importance of warming up. One of the guys at work is training to run the marathon and he is in a slower pace group than the racewalkers' pace so I decided to show off. I challenged him to walk with me at work. I found a nice open walk way, about 100 meters long and bolted off at a very fast pace without warming up first. It was all in good fun but a little later my knees started hurting. Uh oh.

I'm not hurting all that much this morning, but I'm planning to do a 20 mile walk with the Marathon Walkers group on Saturday so I took it really easy--kept my heart rate between 145 and 155 bpm which makes this an "easy" workout.
Mile 1 - 12:50
Mile 2 - 13:20
Mile 3 - 13:27
Mile 4 - 13:16
Mile 5 - 13:08
Mile 6 - 12:38
Average Pace - 13:07 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 1:18:42

According to Lindsey Goldbloom of the Marathon Walkers group:

"As far as pace an average of 12:40- 12:45 a mile. We start off slow closer to 13."

That should work for me--we'll see on Saturday.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Gooooooooal!

It might not score anything, but I did reach one of my goals today, do the 6 mile morning walk at under 12 minutes per mile:
Mile 1 - 12:10
Mile 2 - 12:43
Mile 3 - 12:29
Mile 4 - 11:49
Mile 5 - 11:40
Mile 6 - 11:07
Average Pace - 11:59 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 1:11:58

When I checked my time at mile two I was thinking that maybe I was taking it too easy so if I was feeling good after mile three I'd really start pushing myself. When I finished mile four at under 12 minutes I started pushing even harder and was thinking negative splits. That last mile I gave it all I had.

As long as I didn't stress anything I should be able to keep doing the morning walks at 12 minutes per mile--at least that's the goal.

Sunday, January 7, 2007

8-mile Scenic Walk

I wanted to do 12 miles but we got up late, our nephew didn't want to go but the dog did and well, it was a logistic issue. We did make it to Venice Beach and it was a beautiful day. Warm, almost like summer, but it is the middle of winter!
Mile 1 - 11:36          Mile 5 - 12:47
Mile 2 - 11:56 Mile 6 - 12:07
Mile 3 - 12:19 Mile 7 - 12:08
Mile 4 - 12:31 Mile 8 - 12:34
Average Pace - 12:15 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 1:38:01

I was feeling pretty good at 8 miles and could have easily gone on to do 12. I had a little pain in my right knee last night, nothing like before but there's no point in pushing it too hard right now.

Next Saturday there's the Paramount 10k and several of the Southern Cal Walkers are going to be there. I'm thinking about going to the beach instead and walking 26 miles. It would be good to put in a couple of these very long distance walks before the L.A. Marathon on March 4th.

The following Sunday, January 21, is the 46th annual 10-mile racewalk put on by the Walkers Club of Los Angeles. It is also my 52nd birthday so it seems like a good one to enter. It even fits perfectly into my training schedule.

Friday, January 5, 2007

Another look at the L.A. Marathon Map

Thursday, January 4, 2007

Close Calls

This morning I had a couple of close calls with cars going through intersections. Nothing too alarming but it did throw off my pace twice on mile 5.

Anyway, here's how it went today:
Mile 1 - 12:32
Mile 2 - 12:42
Mile 3 - 12:38
Mile 4 - 12:40
Mile 5 - 12:44
Mile 6 - 12:36
Average Pace - 12:39 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 1:15:55

Better than a couple of days ago but way off my goal of 12 minute miles. My heart rate was above 160 bpm most of the time and got up to 175 bpm at the end so I was putting in a good effort.

Only two months to get into shape for the L.A. Marathon. The goals are to do the 6-mile morning walks under 12 minutes per mile, walk one mile in under 10 minutes and keep up at least 12:30 per mile on the long training walks. I'll need to get my speed up and heart rate down!

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Back on Schedule

Today was the first time since December 12 that I got back on my self-imposed schedule.
Monday    - off or light stretching
Tuesday - 6 miles
Wednesday - strength training
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - strength training
Saturday - speed work on the track with Southern Cal Walkers
Sunday - long distance, alternate 12 miles with up to marathon distance

Here's how it went today:
Mile 1 - 12:38
Mile 2 - 13:18
Mile 3 - 13:10
Mile 4 - 13:12
Mile 5 - 13:12
Mile 6 - 12:55
Average Pace - 13:04 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 1:18:27

I'd like to say that I took it really easy today but I was pushing myself. At one point a woman cheered me on, "You can do it! Get that heart rate up!" Checking the heart rate monitor I was up to 165 bpm, yikes! I continued to keep an eye on it and throughout the workout it stayed above 160 bpm. I should have been doing 12 minute miles with that effort.

Needless to say I lost some conditioning over the holidays but I bet I'm not the only one.

Monday, January 1, 2007

Easing into 2007

The New Year party lasted until 3am so I didn't get up at 5:30am to do my morning walk. In fact it was an afternoon walk, just 3 miles, as planned:
Mile 1 - 12:30
Mile 2 - 12:57
Mile 3 - 13:16
Average Pace - 12:55 minutes per mile
Total Workout - 38:45

Nothing to brag about but I was breaking in new orthotics and didn't want to push too hard. Shins hurt at first but by the end of the walk everything was feeling pretty good. It has been a while since I had a good workout and those miles seem extra long right now. I'll need to make up for time lost to injury, vacation and a cold--only a couple of months left before the L.A. Marathon!