View Workout (Joe Uhan)

Return to Log

Ridgeline Loop

July 12, 2009 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 60, humid

Comments:
Pretty good long run this morning. I was out the door just a shade after 8, over-fueled and over-hydrated, which was a bit annoying. Stopped to pee at the Fairmount Park, then a deuce at Kincaid Park before making the climb up Dillard.

The focus today was FORM: making sure I was using the quad on the R, and generally better arm carriage (less "flexing", more swing/rotation). I was largely successful on both.

The uphill went faster and easier than ever and I had a blast up on Ridgeline, especially on the early downhill sections, which were not too steep, allowing a nice pace without too much braking.

I brought along a clif shot but waited til I got through Ridgeline, down Willamette and to my new water stop -- Safeway on 40th and Donald -- before taking it. About that time I was 12mi in. This brings up an interesting question: How do SO MANY RUNNERS neither drink nor eat anything during their long runs? Every bit of physio research/literature screams that the body (at any speed) should have water and fuel hourly...so it boggles my mind that (A) I used to do 15+ers with nothing and (B) many of my friends seem to do 20s without anything. And while it may seem "tough", there's a fine line between tough and stupid. In the same vein, you could say that we should all run BAREFOOT for 20mi on concrete, because it "makes the quads tougher". :|

If anything, the 100kcal of gel is quite insufficient for the 2,000+ I burn on Sunday runs.

Anyway, after the stop for water, food, and a piss/deuce, I was off again. My stride felt good over the last 7 -- equally uptempo to 2 weeks ago, but seemingly more labored. Split a 6:16 on the way home. That seemed about right.

Finished up the run in 2:11. Even with the uphill climbs, this run must be fairly legit 19 (6:53 pace), because I spend the last 3rd hauling ass -- under 6:30 for sure.

Pretty tired since then, but one of those days where I'm "too tired to nap". Hate that...