22 Min Run (Race) Culver City 5K

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Back in SoCal and loving it. A picture perfect day and I'm glad I had a run to go to. We got back home last night just in time for a few In-N-Outs and bed, so it worked out just great.

It was a quick drive down to JDPs and met up with the team (Christine/JDP/Phled) for the race. Only JDP/Christine "Speedy G"/Myself running today, but we were entered in the team event. I wanted to do better than the Brentwood run, but wasn't gunning for anything mindblowing. I just wanted under 23. And I got it, though, by the skin of my teeth.

First mile went at 7:07, which is very quick considering there were a few seconds lost to the start. So I dialed back a bit...I thought. After the turn, the kid at mile 2 I swear said 13:40, which made me wonder what the hell I was doing. I noticed a slight downhill as we looped back, so I figured maybe I had unknowingly sped up a tad or had been going faster than I thought to begin with. JDP was right nearby hanging in like a champ. I dialed it back further still. I was feeling actually quite good, but had no interest in pushing this into the PR range because that wasn't what I was aiming for. I felt a bit tired heading through the last mile, putting off the end push as my body began to feel the strain of that pace.



Surprise, surprise at Mile 3 the kid says "22:12" or something like that. So now I have to haul ass just to beat 23. And surprise, surprise...now I've got all I want in my legs and head because I realize my pace has been basically weak as beans for the last two miles. Kid must have said 14:40 and I screwed it up. Wear a watch, dude.



Final time was 22:57, despite some DB trying to run me over right at the end to my left and nearly tackling us both. Anywho...got what I wanted...11 seconds over before, sub 23 and it really went very smooth. Great stride, I thought.

But it should have been more in the 22:30 range and I could have easily gotten that mark if I'd just kept my head together. Lots of good experience in this one.



So we hang around for a while (JDP 22:43 and Christine 26-something) knowing we stood a good chance of perhaps winning a team prize...turns out we were the top team overall. So cool. We got a trophy as the top "entertainment" team as that was what Edmunds fell under, I guess. But we had the best score of any team (all seven, hee hee).

Cool trophy. And a head up for next time. Team Turbo is racking up the hardware this year...take that Team Sony...right in your backyard.

22:57 (7:25)
#53 of 337 (overall)
#7 of 24 (div)

BONUS -- Here's the pic of the DB almost knocking me over. Incredibly, they had three race photo cameras right there for it...

10 Minute Run (run)

SAGINAW, Mich. -- Just a quick loop around the sub before our flight out. Would have liked another run maybe Thursday or yesterday, but whatever. Just need to get the legs loose before the race back in Cali tomorrow.

50 Min Run -- (light)

SAGINAW, Mich. -- Knowing that I have to go to Detroit and meeting for most of tomorrow and then to Ann Arbor/Lansing tonight and Thursday night...and a run coming up this weekend...I knew it was important to get one more good run in before it was too late.

Went out and hit every road in the Baird development and even hit most of the Lakeview Estates (old people) development across the way. Should have been a decent distance. Great weather. Feeling good. Good form.

25 Min Run (Push)

SAGINAW, Mich. -- Some speedwork around the sub. In prep for the Team Turbo race in Culver City this coming Sunday after we get back.

55 Min Run (Push)

LAKE GEORGE, Mich. -- After a very late night catching up, Schmidt and I went out planning to circumnavigate this long and lean lake. It's not too far across, but it's a couple miles north to south. Good for pontooning, and -- you'd think -- good for running around.

We went out with Schmidt bowing to my much slower pace than he is used to. I was happy to be at a pace where I felt like I was working but could also talk. Got up to town pretty easily and made the turn. The issue with the lake is that there is no direct roadway around the entire thing. I don't know why, but it doesn't go all the way around. But, having seen a guy the day before look like he had done it, I thought maybe we could just hack it out...maybe with some CC involved. Who knows, right?

Anywho, the whole thing should be around 5 miles. So I felt OK putting a little more pace under my bonnet than the day before. This is what vacay running is for, right? We get nearly 3/4 the way around and hit a dead end. No chance of getting around. So we just turn tail and head back. This worries me in my head because this is about 50 percent further than I was planning on going.

But the new Tri book helped and I got my head straight. Unlike my last run with Schmidt, I didn't have to bail out. Though toward the end, I told him to dash to the finish. His pace is unreal and he quickly left me in the dust, putting at least a minute between us within seemingly only 5 or 6 minutes of road time.

It's great running up here. And that fact might well be enough to ensure a regular return trip...as if the rest of it weren't enough.

1. Distance
2. Attitude

60 Min Run (run)

LAKE GEORGE, Mich. -- After a pleasant evening with Gainser, eating olive burgers at the Swiss Inn and drinking loads of Beaner's "Black and Tan", I got up early from a great sleep to see the fog moving in over the lake and decided to go for a nice, long run into the woods.

There's basically two directions to run in this place...back toward town on pavement or into the woods on dirt roads. Yesterday, I did a bit of both. Today, I decided to push a bit further into the woods because it seemed to be the most different from what I'm used to.

Really incredible. Out for an hour and only saw one person, who was in a truck. No one anywhere. Just out on the dirt trying to feel my form in the peace and quiet. Not totally safe as there are deer running across the road, evidenced by all the tracks in the road. Some hoof, some paw...ah.

Actually had to make a pit stop at one point, which was easy in the woods. And it inspired me to run away quickly. The road kind of goes along the train tracks for quite a ways...I finally figured out that I was going south and not going to ever link up with the other side of Lake George, so I turned back. Awesome.

Took a minute to strip to my shorts and jumped in the lake. Totally mirror-like when I jumped in and my waves went all the way out and across the lake. It was cool as all get out. These are the best of days.

20 Min Run (light)

LAKE GEORGE, Mich. -- Ahead of our long-planned State News reunion up at Gainsers cottage here, Beck and I went up a day before everyone else to get a lay of the land.

I went out just to see what kind of running might happen around here. Went a bit down the road in both directions and got a bit of a sweat going. Feeling a bit sluggish. But this promises to be a great weekend of activity, both productive and not-so-much productive.

25 Mins Run (run)

SAGINAW, Mich. -- Another little one around the Baird's house.

20 Min Run (light)

OSCODA, Mich. -- Stever and myself trotted over to a subdivision up 23 from the cabin. Something around 2 miles. Took it pretty easy after the huge race. It's nice up there.

28 Mins Run (Race) Brian Diemer 5K

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- This was the Brian Diemer 5K and it was awesome...Steve and Erin's first race! What a great time. Lost 'em at the start (lots, lots, lots of runners out there) but found them quick and set off down the main drag. Around the first turn/first mile, we got a split and picked up the pace a touch.

We plowed through the next mile -- but where was Mile 2? There was no marker. Everything in me was saying we must have passed well beyond the 2 marker, but I hadn't seen it. Weird because the 1 had a guy, was well marked, etc. Seemed too big of a race to skip it. I was a bit worried about this kind of foolishness breaking Stevo mentally, because he was giving this course a great go...and when you don't see that sweet marker, it can be a killer. BUT, Steve and Erin had the good sense and respect for the game to take a look at the course first with a map...so he knew where 2 was already. Impressive. I knew we'd break 30, which was Steve's basic goal, but after we made the turn back to the main strip he picked up the pace a touch more. He smoked the last stretch seeing the finish just up ahead. Then the clock came into view...it was in the low 28s! I was flippin pumped. With the chip time bound to take a heap of seconds off for us, the time was sure to be under 29. Turns out he got a 28:15, me a 28:23. They even said the "Steve Flash Davis" as he crossed and thanked me for bringing Cali sunshine to the day (it was an absolutely clear, sunny day BTW). So the only question was how our breaking off had affected Erin, who usually ran with Steve. No bother, she said, finishing right on our tails at 28:30. No biggie.

What an incredible day...especially after pounds of Mexican food, 13 choco cookies from McDs, a 3 mile walk and other assorted hullabaloo. Best.

60 Mins Run (EZ)

GREENVILLE, Mich. -- Went for a good walk late after dinner and pick-up for the race. Such an awesome little path the town has built...my whole life spent there and I never knew about any of that stuff beyond Waterworks Park.

We really went quite a ways, it seemed as the sun was setting. I was getting nervous about how this might affect the race...not 10 or so hours away. But Steve was confident. And he pushed the twin stroller like a pro. Those kids really loved that thing. Never bored. Plus we almost got attacked by some stupid goose.

20 Min Run (light)

SAGINAW, Mich. -- Went out in the subdivision around Beck's parent's house...really cool running. You can build distance easily by snaking around the streets or quickly get back by just taking the outer road back. Plus, there's tons of people out. Good time, getting ready for the race on Saturday.

40 Min Run (Push) --165.5--

After three days of voluntary shutdown (a mental and physical marker between "getting back in shape" and the "getting into good shape" modes) went out today and pushed a solid run. First half was speedy and impressive. Last half was a bear, with the heat the added distance and that first day back after a break blah.

I'm thinking I should mark for my pushes what exactly I succeeded in pushing...really a great job that I'm pretty proud of out there today.

1. Heat
2. Attitude
3. Distance

70 Mins Run (Light) --166--

Went out for a warm-up with the dog and then back out for a Glen-Burbank loop. Good stuff. Kept it physically light, but mentally really had to keep it together there for a bit. Good because I need to start challenging my head as well as my bod to keep progressing, but it was a bit of a surprise. It didn't even last that long, because by the end, things were back where they should be, so we kept this one right at light...right where I wanted it to be.

40 Mins Run (Run) --167.5--

Put in a solid speedy dash to the city limit and back, but called it quits at the foot of the hill thanks to some discomfort. This reminds me of the days when I would just wish I could forget the run I just had. But I don't feel nearly as bad about this one...likely because I didn't force myself to finish it.

Came in, settled down and took the dog out for a quick round the block to make up for it. Good move. Ended smooth. Really found some easy speed out there today.

60 Min Bike (Run) --168.5--

Did the old Top Chef stationary bike stand deal...watched some of The Natural for the first part. What an awesome movie. For the Top Chef show...they just can't seem to let that Lisa girl go home. Ah well. At least she's full of spirit.

12 Min Run (EZ)

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Put in 10 mins on the eliptical just to loosen the joints and did a couple light wind sprints/line drill on the handball court at the Y. Then did some good core and upper body weights. Good off day stuff.

45 Mins Run (light/run) --168.5--

Went out a little further than usual with the dog and then got some good speed in the second half. Really getting the legs and feet where they should be, focusing on the hip swing and the containing angle. It's been a good couple of weeks getting this form in decent shape.