Showing posts with label bike race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bike race. Show all posts

Friday, June 29, 2007

The Week in Recap

I have been meaning to and trying to update this all week, but didn’t have the pictures wanted to include them in the first post…so hence, a wait, but they might be worth it!

Last Friday I was down at the 3rd (well 4th if you could the time trial that had happened that morning) stage of the Nature Valley race series. Big bike race around the mid-Western region of Minnesota. It started with a speed trial in downtown St. Paul last Wednesday, a road race in Canon Falls on Thursday, time trial and then speed race in downtown Minneapolis on Friday night, another road race on Saturday in Mankato and finishing with I think another speed race on Sunday in Stillwater. I saw the race on Wednesday night and then went with a couple of friends to the race on Friday night. It was quite cool seeing the bikes going through (top speeds of 39 mph) on the roads of downtown Minneapolis. The team my friend works with were there and I managed to get this cool picture, totally on a fluke, of one of the members of his team (I just put my camera out and snapped a picture, had no idea who or what it might take a picture of). The other picture is getting into some of the last few laps of the race and while the bikers were more toward the far side of the lane for most of it, this last part they spread out and we could’ve almost touched some of them! After the race we headed (myself and my two friends) to our local hangout and had a few drinks. Then it was home as we were all kind of exhausted after long days.

Saturday I got up and actually went for a long run. In fact the run was 13.25 miles in length…longest I’ve done in quite some time and it felt good. I averaged a 9:21 pace which wasn’t bad considering it was a bit warmer out by the end of it (I didn’t get running till 11). My parents were in town and I met up with them for a drink at my uncle’s legion for a street dance and fireworks later that evening and then called it an early night.

My plan on Sunday was the Pride parade and then a work happy hour/meet and greet of the international sales team and then the end of the race series party my friend was having, which was convenient since all events were in downtown Minneapolis. Unfortunately last minute had back outs of people going to the parade so I didn’t make it to that, instead I had a run, did some cleaning and just relaxed for part of the afternoon at Lake Calhoun before going home, getting cleaned up and heading to Brit’s for the party. It was nice to get to meet some of the people there, and we ended up doing some Lawn Bowling and then I said I was going to the party and others wanted to join me, so we walked over and had some beer. It was a nice night, but I was again quite exhausted so ended up home in bed by 1.

This week so far my running is way off. I had 42 miles last week but this week I’m only at 15 and it’s Friday. I’m planning between 6 and 8 tonight, but don’t know when or if I’ll get a run in the rest of the weekend as it’s kind of packed. I’m meeting a friend at my place after she’s done with work and going to Lake Harriet band shell for music tonight, then it’s another friends birthday so I’ll probably meet her for a drink, my “friend” is meeting us maybe at the band shell and then I’ll be crashing at his place tonight as he sponsor’s a triathlon every year and goes down and does massage at it and asked me if I wanted to come along. I’ll be there helping get people signed up for massage etc…this will go to early afternoon I’m sure, then maybe a nap by Calhoun and/or stopping to see some friends since we are up close to their place for the tri…tomorrow night the people still in town for the meeting are planning an outing to see a band play and I said I’d be joining them, so most likely I’ll be heading out for that and maybe staying at my sister’s place if I opt to have a few drinks…we’ll see how tired I am though! Sunday I think I need to relax! I might grill up some ribs and hopefully will find time for a run then, since tomorrow I might not get one. It was kind of nice this week though, on Wednesday I was downtown to see a band play and met up with my “friend” there and then he and I went for a run. I haven’t run with someone in so long and it was kind of fun doing that again. And I have never really run with someone that I’m actually dating…so that was even more fun actually. We’ll see how things continue to play out.

Still no buyer’s for my condo. There is a good and bad to that. On the good, I have more money to throw at bills and things for right now (but maybe I should be saving up for more toward a downpayment), and there are plenty of things on the market I like and would consider buying, so hopefully it stays that way, mine sells (I’d love it if I could have a sale to close maybe October, move end of October/early November, but you can’t ever guarantee something like that). I know it will eventually sell, and I’m sure I’ll find something I deem perfect for me at the time, but the unknown is kind of a pain. I’d almost take it off the market and just stay where I am, but I just have so many “wants” that I need more space for (like my exercise room, I’ve determined I’m buying some bowflex changeable weights ones I have space to have that kind of stuff)!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Thursday Run

It’s been a while since I’ve just written about a run. Sure I’ve made mention of what I’ve been doing in passing with other updates, but there really haven’t been any stand out runs. Everything all kind of blends together. I have run a number of them without watch (mostly wearing HRM though just trying to get a feel for numbers before I work out the mins and maxs). I’ve even had a few runs without anything but my MP3 and they have ranged from bad to OK or average but something yesterday hit me. Maybe it was the early afternoon chocolate chocolate chip muffin, or the Pizza Hut Express breadsticks so I’d have the energy to run without having to wait till I made dinner, had it eaten and then rested it off…Anyway, last night I could’ve gone further, I only ran 7 (had planned 5 or 6) and wish I had done at least 8. The first mile stat I’m not sure of, but I know it was slow due to stopping to say hi to a neighbor and pet her dog, but then I was off and most of the miles fell right around 8:35 pace, and HR stayed around what it has been most runs. I’ve been averaging maybe seeing a high of 167-175 (but that’s usually coming up the last hills), and most of the run has tended toward being in the mid-150s, which none of this means much yet since I only know my min and not my max HR yet. But I’m guessing this is going to come close to the average range that most runs should be in (65-75% effort I think). It was so nice to have finally achieved a good run though. Final run time had me at an average of 8:38, which it's been a while since I've effortlessly hit those paces. Maybe it was the slightly cooler weather last night that helped too. The run on Wednesday was only 4 miles and that one I almost bagged because it just didn’t feel good, legs felt dead (and I had only done 7.25 the night before) so I just don’t know. I’m still not sure about a fall marathon either, but it’s that time to start building mileage up, looking at a training schedule and getting something going soon if I’m going to even consider doing one…I’m still kind of playing it out to see what happens and if I can get into Twin Cities yet.

Wednesday night I went and checked out a bike race. First time I had ever been to one, at least in that capacity. It’s a pro race series going on in the area right now. Mostly within the metro with a couple of trips about an hour away. It was fun and Jelly Belly was there handing out sport beans, as was Nature Valley (which makes sense since it’s the Nature Valley Grand Prix) handing out granola bars. The race was a sprint in downtown St. Paul. Just a short circuit for an hour. There is another leg of it tonight in Minneapolis and me and a couple of friends are going to go watch and have a few beers to celebrate Friday. Should be a nice evening. That is if the rain holds off!! Tomorrow my parents are in town so I'll probably see them and I might be crashing a wedding, we'll see if I feel up to it or not. Sunday is the Pride Festival parade and I always enjoy checking out the festivities in the park during Pride so I'm hoping to make it down there too. I have yet to actually get to see the parade!