At the tracks # 5

5X800; 2 lap continuous runs for 5 times, 2 minutes break between each.

So I dropped a group to group 3. We were supposed to do 2 continuous laps, and take not more than 4:45 minutes. The first one was good took 4:30. then 4:25, 4;31, 4:45 and finally 4:47.

Group 2 did a max of 4:20 per 800. I could not have done that. I was really tired at the end of 2 laps.
S took 4:40 to 4:52.

Week 7 - Monday run.

June 14, baylands park, 3 miles, 35 minutes.

I cant believe this track was our first long run! Its so easy now. Its about finishing it in lesser and lesser time!
I felt best when we were about to finish it off. All warmed up and got going with the rhythm. S also finished off almost around the same time.

Weekend Run #6

Alameda creek trail, fremont, 6 miles, June 12 - 63 mins!!

So this was the first long run > 5 miles. The last weekend was MTT so no long run.. so 2 weeks ago we ran for 3 miles and now we are running 6.

I was excited to start off with. To see how we fare. Started the run slowly, atleast not going at it in full throttle right at the beginning. Chatted with Shilpa singh till the first water stop at 1.8 miles. Then Bharathrajan was the chatter for the rest of the trail. He decided on running a lil slowly this weekend. 

Forgot my watch even today! damn! Anyways, we started around 7:40. When we reached half way turn around, I was all warmed up and in good rhythm and feeling great, I even rem asking the coach if this was it! Partly thanks to all the chatting. Bharath was telling me all about his "special friend" and I was telling him about S and me. S had to start off a lil late because he needed to repark the car. And then at the 4.5 mile mark. I had the Gu Gel that they provided. Supposedly a quick energy giver. strawberry banana flavor. It was sweeeeet  thick and gooey. I had to drink up some water to wash it down. But I started tiring after that. Mile 5 onwards, I was just looking for the damn bridge where we started the run. If it was not for Mr. Bharahrajan's -come on we are almost there... I would have easily resorted to walking the last mile. But yes we did finish it off, and in 63 minutes!! yay!! thats like a 10 minute mile. We were running at a freaking 6 miles per hour pace! I never thought I could have done this.!  S finished it off at 72 mins. He always says if he slows down its because of his knee and never because of the lack of energy. 

I love running.

Week 6 - Thursday Run

3.5 miles - hilly - Rancho San Antonio trail upto the pond. 41.20 minutes.

So from now on, the thursday runs will be at Rancho San Antonio park - to get us used to running hills. The park is beautiful. Really tucked away from all the rush. Green and cool. Much greener than most other parks.
After a small jog to the tennis courts we stretched and started running till the pond - 1.75 miles ahead. It was a uphill climb. It looked fairly long to go up. But while coming back I was all charged up and took just over 40 mins to complete the whole run.

At the tracks # 4

8 x 400m laps + 1 warm up and 3 warm down laps - Average time 2:03 mins.

I am sore today! My legs hurt. It was really challenging. I am in group 2 (S in group 3 - since he missed MTT).
We started off by warming up and stretching. Coach Bharath(?) was leading our group. Our group was expected to finish on 400m lap between 1:50 to a max of 2:20 minutes. I think the slowest in our group always finished at 2:12. Between 2 laps we took a break for 2 minutes max.
I ran the first 2 laps at 2:00 minutes dot. I was really trying hard. I decided to slow down a lil bit. I completed the next one at 2:05. And all of the others were between 2:03 and 2:05.
Like someone in our group mentioned, I was running harder than my comfort zone and I doubt if I could have done this time if it was not for the other fast runners in the group.
Quick gossip - Wako's boy friend's name is Murali!! :O And then S tells me about 3 more desi man chinki girl couples... Diversity!!

Week 6 - Monday Run.

3 miles sunnyvale baylands park 33:30 mins.

This was a real easy run. I ran 3 miles just yesterday and that did not seem to matter for today's run at all.
This I think is my fastest yet in baylands.
Even S found it very easy today. He finished off at 36:00. a good 3 mins better than his best.

So it was definitely the show that was giving me that achilles pain. The asics shoes- neither of them fit well. Now I do not feel that pain in my achilles at all. Its been 3 weeks with this nike and its been doing great!!

Mile Time Trial.

MTT - cubberly fields, Saturday, June 5 2010.

The long run was canceled this weekend. We had the mile time trials instead.
S was running some temperature and had to miss this. BP, Bharat and me reached cubberly at around 8:05 am. We were all part of team # 4. Some 16 of us in that team. Team #1 was running and warming up already.
We ran 2 laps warmed up and then we stretched for a bit. Then we were ready for the trial. So, we had to run 4 laps, non stop, as fast as we could, faster than the long runs atleast. We will be timed. Based on these times we will be categorized into groups.
We started off after coach char advising us on how we should not kill ourselves over this. Somehow us lining up and all that talk raised my heart rate so much, totally reminded me of all the races we used to have in school. Not so good for a race where you shud be running as fast as you can!! So first half was the first lap was on a real elevated heart rate, then I eased into the run. I approximately took 2:20 mins per lap. In the second lap I had to stop to tie my laces! damn 6 seconds gone a waste.
One guy in our team, real fast runner lapped me towards the end of third lap! what the...
I ran the fourth lap the hardest and finished with 8:59 minutes. Not bad I thought. BP took 8:58 and Bharath around 7:50 minutes.

We cooled down - warmed down as coach char would put it for 2 more laps and then stretched and left.
Picked up breakfast from Madras cafe and headed back home.

Week 5 - Thursday Run

3 miles Sunnyvale baylands park, June 3.

Forgot to take the watch, could not time it. Was a lil more tiring than normal. No pains. I guess it was tiring because of the tracks or lack of sleep. I cannot think of anything else. Ate dinner well, ate banana.
Running buddy definitely seems to make the run easier. I caught up with Divya and Balu on the way back and chatted till the end. The last 0.5 miles were the easiest.
S doing good. Infact he says this has been his easiest weekday run yet. May be because of the tracks. His left knee and hamstrings hurt after the run.
Turned in the recommitment forms.

At the tracks #3

Cubberly Fields tracks, 6:30 pm, June 1.

This tracks event was close to what the real one will be like. The tracks #1 was very elementary. Just to get used to how a 400m felt like.
We started off with a 2 lap warm up and stretching.
Coach Char then started us off on the tracks.

Round 1: Run once around the track a little faster than your long run pace. I took 2:10 on this one.
The guys who took under 2 mins were the fast ones and they did their runs by themselves.
Relax for a minute between each round.
Round 2 and 3 were the same and round 1. I took 2:14 and 2:12 on the other 2.
Rounds 4 and 5, run 2 laps non stop at the pace that you can hold. I took 5:06 on one and 4:48 on the next.
I was def slow on the 5:06 pace. I just conserved too much. On the 4:48 one. I was panting, but recovered in less than a minute.
2 more laps of cool down and then stretch and leave.

The mile time try outs will be held this saturday. 4 laps of this track, non stop, at a holdable, slightly higher than your long run pace. Lets see.

Week 5 - Monday Run.

Baylands park, 3 miles- May 31 2010.

Missed this!! :(
First run that we missed. We had a long sunday. Drove down all the way to hearst castle. We reached home only by about 12 in the night. And I could not have run anyways on monday.
We honestly thought we could run the evening run. But then we went to gilroy :P
So taking on the tracks directly on tuesday.!

Weekend Run #4

Campbell, Los Gatos Trail, 3 miles, 0:34:55.

On saturday morning, it was really warm and not many people had turned up since it was the long weekend. This time I was fully loaded on the run - I had a wrist watch, cap and a fuel belt - fully loaded.
I was really keen on knowing how long I really took to run.
First 0.5 miles I took nearly 7.5 minutes. I am thinking this is because of all the crowd. But the last 0.5 miles were in 6 minutes. I am approximately doing 11.45 minute miles!! Sure I have a long way to go.
All this apart. The run itself was easy. I was fairly comfortable running, 0 pains. Nothing that would stop me. Here and there for 15 s or so I would feel the left heel. But would silently go away.
Was feeling alive and pepped up after the run!
S took 38 mins to complete. His knees hurt a lil bit, but he was doing fine on the whole.