Typical

While I was warming up for my last 5k a few weeks ago I started questioning why I was doing this.  During the race, somewhere around mile 1, I decided I was probably done with racing.  It didn't seem very fun to me and racing is actually quite miserable, something I always seem to forget.   Of course, the next day I went for a short run and started thinking of ways I could change my training.  What if I worked out harder on the elliptical? Maybe I'm running too slow on my 30 minute runs.   Just like that, the cycle repeats.  Running is strange.

Flips Flops

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/pulse/201210/man-runs-246-marathon-flip-flops-runners-world

Keith Levasseur ran Saturday's Baltimore Marathon in 2:46:58 while wearing flip flops. Levasseur will file paperwork with the Guinness Book of World Records to have the feat acknowledged as a world record for a marathon in flip flops.

WTF!  Are you kidding me?  Jason, where do flip flops fall in the getting beat by a dude in trainers heirarchy of losing?

Race Report: Random Denver 5k

I ran my first race of the season and it was a very painful 19:14.   The course was relatively flat and the weather was nice so that reduces my excuses to the altitude, no mile markers, and I had a few drinks at happy hour last night.  This was by no means a large, well managed road race so I was able to take 3rd overall, first in the 31-40 age group winning a prize of  a box of chocolates and 50% discount on entry for another 5k in two weeks.  Other race notes:

• Every year I forget how painful a 5k is when you only run 10-15 miles a week. I pretty much packed it in after the 1rst mile since I was caught running by myself and hurting badly.
• Some guy wearing trainers was a good 20 yards ahead of me before taking a wrong turn close to the finish. I hate getting beat by people wearing trainers when I'm wearing flats.
• 19 flat seems to be about the barrier where runners stop wearing trainers and race in flats although I got beat by a couple people wearing trainers in DC when I ran 18:26 last fall. 
• Who are these people wearing trainers yet able to run in the 18s?  I'm doubtful that people wearing trainers do workouts or take races seriously making their time that much more impressive. 
• Sub-18 is looking a long ways away for me now.  I might try another one in a couple weeks to see if I can at least break 19.

Pumped up kicks

What's everyone running in right now?  Anybody got some good recommendations for new kicks? 

(Half Ass) Training at Altitude

I'm currently living in Sucre, Bolivia where the elevation is 9,000 feet.  That's nearly twice as high as Boulder, CO where the good runners go for "high altitude training".   I've gotten in  2 runs so far and I can't honestly say I can tell the difference.  Maybe I'll throw in some surges and see if I'm extra winded.   Although Sucre is a great place for studying Spanish, it's awful for running.  There's one small park in town so my runs have involved running 6-7 laps around the crowded, paved path.  Fall racing season is just around the corner so hopefully this altitude training is just as effective for 18:30 5k runners as it is for the elite. 

Running in Patagonia: Unplanned

I got in a couple great runs in Patagonia a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, one of them was unplanned.  I was in the middle of a long bike ride when I got a flat tire.  After pushing the bike for 1/2 mile I decided to abandon the bike and start running. 

Jason's Farewell dinner

Will be at Market Tavern in Arlington, VA (Clarendon) at 6:15 PM tomorrow. We'll be headed out afterwards in Clarendon somewhere, most likely O'Sullivans, Ireland Four Courts and/or Rhodeside Bar and Grill.

Jason Alexander Hail and Farewell

Jason is moving to Buenos Aires very soon. We're planning to have a farewell gathering for him next Saturday, Feb 4. Looks like dinner and drinks. Location/Time are TBD. I'll post details soon.

This is a great opportunity to come pay tribute to the founder of the Dusty Spikes Running Club (DSRC). Just think, the DSRC is going global. International bitches!

Hope you all can make it.

Jesse

don't be that guy

I haven't had much of a reason to post to this blog recently. Watching this video changed that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nGojEyYBmwc

Check it out. I think there is more than one of us that fits the personas of these guys.