Ran a good 3 mile rest run

My wakeup heart rate was 56, and I ran a good 3 mile rest run. I ran twice the north-bound segment of the Jordan River Parkway. I was out about 10:30, but the temperature was in the mid 80s (F). Ironically, due to a cold front passing through, during the afternoon the sky clouded up, the wind increased to 40 or more mph, and the temperature dropped to the middle 70s (F). I got out "early" for my run, because two workmen were here during the day to repair a concrete wall that is in front of my house, and I wanted to get my run in before they got into the difficult part of the repair.

According to the tree-limb I use to judge the level of the water, the river has gone done about an inch at the point where the limb is sticking out of the water. The cooler temperature we had in the afternoon and evening will help slow the melting of the mountain snow.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OldManRunning/~3/RfDVF9iw5dM/ran-good-3-mile-rest-run.html

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Ironman Races Ranked By Finish Times

How tough an Ironman race is subjective.  A lot of  factors come into play when making that call.  Albeit all boast the same distance, 140.6 miles (2.4m swim, 112m bike, 26.2m run), conditions and courses vary, making each course unique in its challenges and degree of difficulty.  Even within the same race, at different times, the course may seem more or less difficult than in years past.

So how do you rank the races by degree of difficulty?

Raymond Britt, a veteran Ironman triathlete and Boston Marathoner, has researched and ranked the top 25 toughest Ironman Races based on average "finishers time".  His results, and detail explanations of the research, can be viewed in detail here.

In the mean time, here are a few snapshots of his findings.

 This image shows the average finish time of the 25 ranked Ironman Races.

This image shows the average finish time for the 2.4 mile swim course.

This image shows the average finish time for the 112 mile bike course.

This image shows the average finish time for the 26.2 run course.

I have always contended that:  If you start choosing a race because of degree of difficulty, swim course, bike course or run course, because of historical weather conditions or because of any other factor you may think proper and important, you're never going to find the "perfect" race.

Just pick the one you want to do, for whatever reasons you may have.  Make sure these reasons are yours and yours alone, then train for the worst and hope for the best.

I have my reasons for choosing Ironman Louisville as my Ironman of choice.  And to be brutally honest with you... I hate swimming in the ocean!  I have heard everything from "you're nuts, crazy, out of your mind" to "I love that course" and everything in between.  Again, everyone has their own opinions.

Choosing a "tough" race doesn't make it any harder.  140.6 miles are 140.6 miles in any language, any venue, any country...any way you look at it.

Happy Training!

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Source: http://www.triathlonat55.com/2011/02/ironman-races-ranked-by-finish-times.html

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How To Meet Women On The Trail (Guest Blogger Vince G.)

[Ed - This post brought to you by guest blogger Vince G., who is seeking advice from both men and women trail runners. All feedback appreciated!]

Dearest trail running community, I need your advice. I'm a newbie to the sport, and although my slightly overweight, plodding-but-smiling form could use some pointers, it is in regards to our social norms that I seek your counsel. It's going to sound cliche, but you see, there's this girl...

I know, I know...pathetic, right? It's bad enough that I'm 44 years old, divorced (and thus knowing a thing or two about what NOT to say to women), and trying to get in shape for the first time in my life, but now I'm as fear-frozen as a teenager trying to get up the cojones to ask a girl to the prom. She appears like an angel once or twice a week on my daily trail run near my house, and just the obligatory nod-and-hey gets my heart rate going faster than the fire road climb. I take a breather and try to convince myself that sweaty palms, a dry throat, and inability to make eye contact are all a part of trail running, but who are we kidding...I've got a crush with a capital "C".

But how do I start a conversation with her? What can I say without being creepy? When greeting a woman on the trail, I get the impression there's a thin line between "friendly" and "that's when I doused his face with bear spray". Plus I want to be respectful of our sport and not break the rhythm of her run or solitude. All of my ideas either sound too cheesy ("leave some flowers for her where you last met eyes"), or just downright ill-advised ("casually follow her to car so there's a natural place to start a conversation"). HELP!!!

Before you answer, I feel like I should clarify one thing. When I say "girl", what I actually mean is "age appropriate female with a youthful spirit". It's bad enough I may be "trail trolling", lest the additional agent orange mist of mid-life crisis perversion. Scott will vouch that I am far from that guy (right, wing man? Buddy?). She is something special, though. Her effortless smile is always present, with kind green eyes nestled in a tapestry of tan lines that bare proof that she has laughed in the sun at every opportunity. Her face wouldn't dare, or require, a single spec of make up, and her pony tail joyfully bounces to its own beat, unable to contain it's wild grey strays. This is a women in touch with her youthful spirit, and by God, she is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

I'm a bit of a romantic, which makes this a particular challenging conundrum. If you ask my ex-wife, I'm an "unrealistic romantic" at that. Unfortunately, I have to agree with her on that one, at least in that I used to be unrealistic with my expectations of love and romance. I had that belief that love could cure anything, including any issues with the marriage itself. But it turns out that a marriage, like any relationship, needs time and attention, not belief in a superhero that comes swooping in to save us in the nick of time. It's a lesson I understood too late, but one I certainly will not replicate. Oh no, I will NOT fuck the next one up. Like the trail runs that are part of my daily life, I am ready to invest fully in my greatest adventures. For that, I am already a better man.

The trails had a lot to do with unearthing the better me, digging deep, having faith in every step, finding solace and discovery in even the muddiest, coldest days. It is my sanctuary, my springboard, and my double-dare all rolled into one. Perhaps I am obsessed with this woman simply because she is out here, finding her our joy, adventurous in her own right, and on her own terms. Or maybe it's because I'm old enough to know that women like her are far too rare, and from what I understand, men who can appreciate that are even more so. Life, and the trails, gives us opportunities, but it is up to us to see and grasp them.

I guess I could just say that the next time I see her. But odds are I'll get the bear spray. :)

Thank you in advance for your help!

- Vince G.

Source: http://runtrails.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-meet-women-on-trail-guest.html

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A good 6.25 mile run, with rain at the end

I ran 6.25 miles on the same route that I used on Thursday. In fact, my run followed the same pattern that it did on Thursday: good in the beginning, tired in the middle, and good at the end. The difference in the two runs is that I took fewer rest stops today (only one near the turn-around point) and the change from being tired to having a good run at the end happened sooner than on Thursday.

When I first started the run, the sky was mostly clear with fluffy clouds, and the temperature was in the low 70s (F). However, as my run progressed, the sky darkened, and I could tell it was either raining over the mountains or soon would be raining there. A north wind of about 5-10 mph was blowing, and that was good, because the storm clouds were gathering in the south, and a north wind would help keep the storm from advancing so much. However, after I had gone about half a mile on my return trip, the wind changed from a north wind to a south wind, and that meant the storm would advance at an even faster rate. Sure enough, the storm did just that. It soon started to sprinkle and then it settled into a gentle but steady rain. I hadn't expected the rain, and I had left my rain gear at home. That was OK, because the air temperature was warm, and the rain didn't feel cold. I enjoy running in warm summer rain. This rain wasn't quite a warm rain, but it wasn't a cold rain either.

There was a lot of thunder in the mountains. When I see lightning flashes, I count seconds until I hear the corresponding thunder to get an approximation of the distance to the lightning strikes (I assume 5 seconds per mile).  The lightning strikes were about 1 1/2 miles away, and I wasn't worried about them. However, when I was about two miles from my car, I realized the lightning strikes were only a mile away. This worried me since there aren't a lot of trees near that part of the path, and I was one of the higher objects in the area. I did, though, realize the lightning strikes were in the clouds, and I decided I would be OK. The sky was pretty black, and I could hardly see the mountains due to the storm clouds that covered the mountains, down almost to the valley floor.

My car was parked at the South Jordan East Pavilion, which is at about 108th South. When I reached the new bridge at 114th South, I stopped for a few minutes to tweet about the rain. My telephone is an inexpensive model and doesn't have a full keyboard. Tweeting via texting is thus a slow process. The light on my phone turned off, and I couldn't see the keyboard. In addition, I couldn't read the screen very well due to not having my glasses, and I made a couple of spelling errors. After sending the tweet, I continued my run. As I approached my car, I noticed the rain was stopping, and by the time I arrived home, the rain had stopped. Utah storms don't last very long, in contrast to some of the storms I experienced in Massachusetts (heavy rain that didn't stop for two or three days).

The hardest part of the run was taking off my wet t-shirt due to the cloth sticking to my back. After a couple minutes struggling with the t-shirt, I finally got it off, and I dressed in dry clothes. All in all, it was a great run! I'm still doing 1 minute of running and 1 minute of walking, although I ran the last half mile without stopping so I would get to my car sooner.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OldManRunning/~3/yeycbM1Uh0U/good-625-mile-run-with-rain-at-end.html

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Skyline to the Sea 50k 2011

I look forward to Pacific Coast Trail Runs (PCTR) Skyline to the Sea 50k every year and it was no different on my fourth year running the event. The point-to-point route from Saratoga Gap to Waddell Beach in the Santa Cruz Mountains of the SF Bay Area utilizes some of the best single track trails [...]

Source: http://mountainrun.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/skyline-to-the-sea-50k-2011/

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Extreme Element Experience Day

The guys over at Extreme Element have been kind enough to arrange for two of RunTheLine contributors to attend one of their experience days. Watch this space to see how RunTheLine's two contributors found their Half Day off road rally driving when they attend the Leicestershire venue in a few weekends time.

Source: http://www.runtheline.com/1728/extreme-element-experience-day

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