A Range of Goals

I like how some runners are now posting goals for their upcoming race.
No longer is one goal proclaimed, but two or three. (As we all know race completion expectations are not so black and white.) I like this plan - no more finish before a blank blank time pressure.


Examples

Runbulldog numbers his outcomes with #1 as the most achievable goal.
“Goal #1 — finish the marathon with a smile on my face and a happy left foot.”
And then they get harder…

Runner26 begins with a summation “My biggest goal is to remain uninjured.”
She then starts with her most ambitious goal and ends with this; "I'll take it…I trained decently, ran for fun, and had a blast!”

Runnerkara has a 10k race this Saturday. Her typical goal is to beat her last time – despite lack of training or wellness...


Possibilities:

"The best pace is a suicide pace, and today is a good day to die." - Steve Prefontaine

"What Was I Thinkin"

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Race Report Scandia 10k

Another “I feel great at the finish race!” (That’s two 10ks in a row.) My time was about the same time as last year but I did stop at every water station. (I’m testing out this routine – as I usually don’t drink anything till after the race.)
Happy with some of my splits too!

This year, the mint fields were already harvested, but there was still a lingering distant whiff in the cool morning breeze.



One guy ran with his Thor horns on to honor the Scandinavian Days. Next year I’m going to braid my hair.



I Love the homemade direction signs.



After I found my pace, I slipped into an observational trance - noticing the way other runners held their arms. I tend to run with my arms at waist level. For several years I ran with a dog and had better leash control with my arms at that level.
But what I witnessed was crazy:

• Arms bent at a 45º angle with hands almost touching their chest.
• Arms slapping about like they were dislocate at the shoulder.
• Elbows sticking out.
• Hands like propellers.

It appeared, as runners began to fatigue, there was greater arm movement...
What do your arms do? Improve your running or just go along for the ride?
Arm Movement in Running

More Highlights!

Port-o-potty chat: “More people here than last year – yeah, in this line!”
T-shirt Talk: “Don’t Vote Me Off”
Farthest away t-shirt - Tempe AZ

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Beach Running – Divine!

Absolutely no regrets. Racing on the beach was divine. The expansive running surface was solid with just the right amount of give. There were no logs or jetties to transverse, just miles and miles of beach.
But there was coastal fog...


The fog stood still as the runners found their way to the start line.



I purposely ran without my player. The only sounds; my tread in the sand and the distant crashing surf.
{I have never finished a race where I wanted to turn around at the finish line and repeat.}



At the finish line the sun was already breaking through – patches of fog broke off and rolled away.



Interestingly enough I saw no one running barefoot... My shoes and socks came off right after the race so I could step into the Pacific Ocean.



The snacks included sandwiches (some were marked V for vegetarian) muffins, apples, outdated Power Bars and pretzels. I was ravenous.

The post race crowd was small and loosely knit. However, there was a collective awe of appreciation and gratefulness shared between us.
What a fine day it was!

Favorite Shirt Quote “The Older I Get The Faster I Was”
Race Chatter - “Are you a photojournalist?” (I was taking pictures with my cell phone: )

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Racing on Sand

I finally get a chance to run a race on the beach. This weekend, on Manzanita Beach, there is a 5k / 10k race entirely on the sand. An out and back with the Pacific Ocean as my running mate, the wind tossing my hair, and a forgiving surface under my feet…
Except the more I read about running on sand – the more I worry - it may not be such a good thing.

Risks of racing on the sand:

• Extreme calf soreness.
• Fatigue due to an increase in upper body propulsion.
• Sore feet from bad traction.
• Tripping over flotsam, glass, logs, or giant seaweeds!
• Sore ankles from running on a slope.
• There is no bounce.
• You burn 1.6 times more calories – like I already burn 5000 cals during a regular 10K

Wish me luck – I’m going to need it!

Ref:
Running Beach Style
Sand: A Solid Foundation to Build Your Running Skills
Soft Sand Running - Video

"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few."
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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