Track and Field Blogs - RunDMC

There is leg limited and there is lung limited running. In Mammoth I am lung limited. Usually for me that means I just need more base or tempo type running. When leg limited, it is time for speed work. Thursday, I did about 25min easy with a few strides. Confidence was LOW for the Friday Freedom Mile race. My legs were heavy and slow. My lungs were really working for O2 even running easy.

We went to the Street Party in Mammoth Thursday night. There were 10 tents and one was the Sierra Striders, another was the Tri club, and another was a Pilates group. Gotta love Mammoth. We briefly met Deena Kastor. There was a classic rock band that was pretty good and lots of people out. We met a guy who had also run Boston this year. Yeah, I beat him! (just barely) Next we went to watch the OTs at a local joint. Women’s Steeple was good with an American Record. My wife and I walk everywhere, so we ended up walking about 2.5 miles Thursday night.

Friday morning I got up and jogged over to the race start with my backpack on. It is about a mile and I had to stop and walk twice – Wheeze, gasp! Once I dropped the backpack I was a little better. Did a couple of strides and looked around at the start. The 52 year old lady who blew by me last week happens to be a 2 time Olympian in Cross Country skiing. I think they are the fittest athletes on Earth. She holds the women’s course record, so I decided to use her for my pacing in the beginning.

The race started and a lot of people who should not have been up front went out hard. I relaxed and keyed off my rabbit. After about 1/4mi, I was feeling pretty good and moved ahead of her and started passing people. I was breathing like a freight train, but my legs were ready for more. Unfortunately, I had no more O2 to give them but I was still picking up the wreckage of the people who had gone out too hard. The last 1/4mi is downhill, but I did not capitalize. I was afraid I would blow. I took a quick look behind me and thought I had enough distance, but then this kid on crutches sprinted past me just before the line. Actually, he just had a cast on his forearm. Anyway, I got 8^th in 5:16. Probably the fastest mile I have run all this year even at sea level. Hey, give me a break. I’m 38 and I was training for a Marathon this year.

So after the race I went to the Lion’s Club all you can eat Pancake breakfast. Oh, yeah! Sometimes it’s good not to be an elite athlete. We watched the parade – very small town, but cool. Then we went to the street fair, art exhibits, etc. Good fun. Some friends from down south came up and we went to the condo BBQ. Mmmm. Ribs. We drove down to Crowley Lake for the fireworks and were too cheap to pay so we just parked along 395 and watched from the nosebleed seats with a few hundred other thrift store regulars. :-)

Saturday I skipped the run for a downhill mountain bike day at Mammoth. Man my fingers are tired from working those brakes. We drove to Lee Vining for dinner then to Mono Lake for Sunset. Spectacular. Sunday I did a 90 min run. Legs were heavy and dead. The lungs were working even harder, but I completed my longest high altitude run. I am very happy with this week’s progress.

Tonight, I watched Alan Webb blow it in the 1500. I think the guy needs a new coach. Hey, just an opinion. I got lots of them. Ask me about anything!

One more thing. Did I mention the pollen? It is blowing around Mammoth in yellow clouds. It collects in corners and in my ear canal and nostrils. It might be contributing to my breathing issues.