Yasso 800s

This is old news to many, and Tray was amazed when I revealed I'd never heard of them (some time back) but now I think I know why she was shooting for 4 minute 1/2 miles on the track this morning. Bart Yasso is famous for his marathon time predicting workout.

Quoting him

"Want to run a 3:30 marathon? Then train to run a bunch of 800s in 3:30 each. Between the 800s, jog for the same number of minutes it took you to run your repeats."

The easy thing to remember is you can replace the 3:30 with 4:00. That is

"Want to run a 4:00 marathon? Then train to run a bunch of 800s in 4:00 each. Between the 800s, jog for the same number of minutes it took you to run your repeats."

BTW, 800 here means 800 *meters* which is *very nearly* 1/2 mile (0.497096 miles). Twice around the track. American tracks are 440 *yards*. Four loops is 4*440 = 1760 yards or 5280 feet, a mile.

Here's the article:

Yasso 800s

New Shoes?

Congrats to everyone over the weekend! I'm always blown away by how much enthusiasm and energy you guys always have; it's very inspirational! So inspirational that I've decided to bump up my training plan a bit to include the mileage in Hal Higdon's Intermediate 2 plan.

Along with the running, I'm trying to get a new pair of shoes to break in before the Hartford Marathon, and I'm thinking of splurging on the Brooks Ravenna 2 (recommended by Runner's World) but I'm very afraid of striking out on the shoes! Anyone have suggestions I should try on along with these???? ~Kelsey

Comment

Sorry, for some reason could not post this as a comment, had to submit as a new post, anyway, my intended comments:

Congrats Tracy, awesome time! Don't fret about misalignment, I quite enjoy mine (and that includes my mental misalignments too!). Also congrates to Lee, resident speedster and photographer. Do you have enough room in your house for all those trophies??? I'm just back from another ride up to Westfield, MA and back, followed by very short run and my last weight training session of this entire program (Yay!)...Many thanks to those who joined me on this epic training weekend; especially Rose, Peter, Lee and the other 4,000 runners in Fairfield. Now it's time to refuel, rock on Brickyarders- Lani

Fairfield Half Report

 

Please click the link below for more pix etc.

http://primepuzzle.com/tpf/fairfield-half-2011.html

Not super hot, a bit muggy, 4500 runners. Rose and Lani ran it together. Lee managed to squeak out a 3rd in division. Sara Belles did a 1:27 (Wow!) (personal best and 3 minutes quicker than she told me she was going for) and placed 8th woman overall. Marc Robaczynski was 8th male overall, took 1:11 (Unbelievable!) and told me he had no one to run with after some young runner who was doing a 5:20 pace (but said he wanted to average just sub 6) faded. Andie placed 3rd. I managed to catch Kate on film as she came in.

Lani rode 100 miles yesterday, swam a good 1/4 mile in the ocean after the race (not to mention tacking on 1 mile post race (w/ Rose) and 6 miles pre race (she needed 20)). She tapers 3 weeks before LPIM. We wish her well in this ambitious effort.

My sincere apologies to Mary-Lynn Currier who placed but whose photo I took somehow got deleted. I am really sorry. You ran great and looked great. She told me she's running the Hartford full. I encouraged both her and Marc to consider running Hogsback Half on September 24th.

Thanks Rose for distributing apps for Hogsback Half before the race.

Update: 6/27/2011 - Rose and I talked this morning on the phone. One thing that came up was heart rate and it got me wondering what mine was at the end of a hot muggy fast race. You can visit the below to learn and see a variety of things, in particular how my heart rate averaged 162 bpm and maxed at 171 bpm. Gotta love your Garmin.

Lake Compounce Report

The morning started out very iffy for me - turned on the Garmin and it read "Batteries Low." No problem, I thought. I've run many times for much further than 3.1 miles on a low battery and it always lasted. Well, no such luck - the watch kept shutting off. I considered carrying my cell phone because that's how obsessive I am with time/pace/splits/yadda yadda. Threw the phone back in the car at the last minute though and only had my breathing rate to gauge my pace. To my happy surprise, I was able to finish in 23:33/7:35 pace!! A personal best on the course and overall for a 5K. I also won 2nd in my age group. The bad news is the massage therapist said my hips were misaligned, along with a host of other issues which reminded me that my body has it's limits and is becoming more limited with each passing year.

Brickyard at 7:30 a.m.

I think there is a range of how far people want to run tomorrow - some are doing races on Sun. I will probably do around 8 miles. Looking forward to seeing everyone.
Tray

Brickyarders Puzzle

I think it's definitely time for a puzzle. Click the link immediately below to actually do the puzzle.

Brickyarders Puzzle

This is *not* a crossword / crossnumber puzzle. You simply have to figure out the 5 single-digit numbers that go in the boxes.

                 +------+
                 |2     |
                 |      |
                 |      |
          +------+------+------+
          |1     |3     |4     |
          |      |      |      |
          |      |      |      |
          +------+------+------+
                 |5     |
                 |      |
                 |      |
                 +------+

Hartford Full

As no fewer than 6, Tray, Lee, Mari, Kelsey,  Beth, Lea, and possibly more, Brickyarders are in the early days of training for the Hartford Full, a book I used to train for one of my best marathons came to mind. I've ordered 4 "like new" copies of the latest edition of this book and want to give them to anyone who is interested. The first edition of this book was very inspiring and useful to me. It is both a log book and an advice book. "Cruisers," "Pacers," and "Racers," Joe Henderson's names for 3 kinds of runners (first time, intermediate and experienced) will benefit by reading and using this book.

Tray and Lea have training plans. Tray's bringing hers this Saturday, from coach George Kominos. Training plans are important. Setting goals is important. Try to pick a realistic time goal for your marathon based on what you know about yourself. If you're unsure, run a few shorter races in July and then try to extrapolate. This is of course difficult because some say a marathon actually "starts" at about mile 20. I'm shooting for just under 4 hours. Tell "the world" what your goal is. This has always helped me accomplish my goal.

For example, as I said in our online "Brickyarders' Log", which I am so pleased lots of us are using!, I'm going to try and take 1:43 in Sunday's Fairfield Half. Ambitious. Maybe not super realistic.

Aim high. You might get there.

St. Joe's Track

Tray and I are going to do some intervals at St. Joe's track tomorrow @ 9 AM. I've never been there but have heard Hartford Track Club has sessions there sometimes. Then I'll take Friday off. Planning on an easy 8 @ Brickyard on Saturday. Then ... Fairfield Half on Sunday.

Thanks Kelsey, Tray, Lea, Tom (who isn't even a runner!) for trying out the Brickyarders' Log facility!

Lee

Happy Birthday Linda!

Happy Birthday Linda! Happy First Day of Summer!

This beautiful Doodle is by Takashi Murakami.

Branford 5 Miler

Brent, Lani, Lee, and Dave ran the Branford 5 Miler this morning. More to come but for now ... click the picture.

Welcome Mari and Beth!

It was great to see everybody @ Brickyard this morning! Mari and Beth joined us for the first time. Looks like 5 maybe 6! of us are doing Hartford Full! Kelsey (1st), Tray, Mari, Beth (if Mari's in, she's in?!), Lee and Lea (1st).

We all ran from 8.5 to I think 13 or so. Rose got conned into tacking on another 4 by Paula who showed up after we all finished up. Rose reports that Eddie's bench looks beautiful. The perennials bloom late but look really nice now. (To Mari and Beth: we'll tell you about Eddie next time).

Lee showed off the awesome "Hoggie" Cookie.

We're going to order 48 of these. They will go to the people who get awards. And since we'll probably not have 48 award winners, leftovers will go to volunteers.

Just got off the phone with Rose. She brought up some important points about how we "Brickyarders" are all so different and how we need to *all* work on trying to help each other attain our goals. I won't go into specifics but some of us are slower, some faster, some can go long, some not so long. We should not get discouraged or feel we can't do it if we can't run as far or as fast as others. And we need to *talk* to each other about how we really feel etc.

Oh, and for those who have tried out my "Brickyarders' Log" thing, keep posting comments in it. Tray told me she and Mari used it but don't see what they entered. Please continue to post your runs. I am very interested in making sure this works. I just put something in it now and it worked. It may be that the two things Tray and Mari put up got wiped out because I was still testing it.

Rose, Tray, Barb and Paula got Hogsback Half apps spread around the parking lot and promised distribution to gyms, running stores etc. etc.

Brent, Dave Condit and I are doing the Branford 5 Miler tomorrow. Tray's doing the Lake Compounce 5K Sunday next. Rose and I are doing Fairfield Half.

Again, Welcome Beth and Mari! We hope you enjoyed your morning and hope to run with you many times in the future and especially to help you complete the Hartford Marathon. I'll bring that LogbookONE next time. Promise!



Lee

Introducing ... Brickyarders' Log!

Try out the new Brickyarders' Log by clicking the runner on the main page!

Solstice Sprint

I volunteered @ the 6th Annual Solstice Sprint 5K this evening. Kelly Burns Gallagher both ran and directed it and the 166 finishers made it over the line just in time to miss the storm. Results are posted @

Solstice Sprint 5K

I was given the job of photographer and Kelly will (make that has) put up the pix on Facebook.

I have been exchanging emails with a Mari Pattavina who wants to join us on Saturday. She is looking to get some help to train for the Hartford Marathon. I'm hoping and thinking we can provide that. Lea has officially started her training today.

This is from Will Graustein's site. I can spot Richard Zbrozek and Tom Walsh. Lani Ralston is somewhere in the pack.

Lee

Doc Whitney 65+ 5K in Orange, CT

 

http://www.hitekracing.com/results11/mil0612.htm

More to come but, needless to say, I'm pretty proud of this one.

Saturday morning R & R (Rain and Running)

Tray, Lea, Rose, Brent and Lee covered approx. 2*10.2 + 3*11.0 which = 20.4 + 33 = 53.4. I spotted David Hall (HTC Race director) coming toward us as we went out. In addition, we spotted Kelsey and Dave Condit coming back as we went out. Looks like our slightly late arrival @ the parking lot was too much for the "elite division" of the Brickyarders so they took off on their own. Brent told us there was a huge pile of dirt about 5.5 miles out going south so we headed out in that direction and did a 180 when we hit the pile. The rain decided to come down big time about then and we arrived back @ the parking lot just in time for Linda to snap this shot.

Barbara and Dave Condit will be doing Celebrate West Hartford, Lee will be doing Doc Whitney 5K and Norleen (Rose's friend) will be @ Litchfield.

Lea, marketing / publishing / promotions person for Hogsback Half, made her inaugural Brickyard appearance and she and Rose ran together. This was about hour 5 in Lea's day which started with a drop off @ Bradley airport. She delivered 100 copies of the application and we're starting to hand them out for distribution. Brent and Tray took a few. Thanks Lea. You are really really really good at what you do. Running and promoting. Your Hogsback Half binder is an organizational masterpiece. We look forward to each new chapter.

Tray's 99 and 44/100% in on both Fairfield Half and ... Hartford Full!!!!!! Let the training begin. 3:59:59.

Lee

7:30 start time and Hogsback Half Marathon medal

Given the heat wave and the fact that Summer has arrived prematurely, let's make the official start time of Brickyard Saturday runs

7:30 AM

from here on out (till further notice).

See you there. Best of luck to all who are running Litchfield, Celebrate West Hartford and /or Doc Whitney 5K on Sunday.

Oh, in case you missed it ... This is what you'll get if you run Hogsback Half Marathon on September 24th, 2011. Sign up at

http://www.active.com/half-marathon/colebrook-ct/hogsback-half-marathon-2011

Or ... volunteer. We are trying to make this the best Half in the state and we'll need help.

Lee

Brickyard run and Solstice Sprint 5K

Brent, Lea, Tray, Rose and yours truly (and I'm sure others) will be at Brickyard Road this Saturday. I'll be there @ 7:30 AM for a half hour warm up run and welcome everybody to join us @ 8:00 AM at the parking lot to go from 8 miles to whatever meets your plans. The next day is Litchfield Road Race and, for those of us that are 65+, a race in Orange, CT (Doc Whitney 5K). Celebrate West Hartford 5K is also on this day. Wow! Race Season is definitely here!

I attended the Hartford Track Club monthly meeting last night and talked about Hogsback Half Marathon. Kelly Burns Gallagher and others had a slew of good ideas which I will be sharing with you in the coming days.

Kelly invited us all to help / run / learn etc. at this year's Solstice Sprint 5K which is Hartford Track Club's way to usher in Summer. It takes place on Wednesday evening, June 15th, 6:30 PM. The above tile was the award for last year's race. It was hand painted by her! This year there will be unique hand painted pottery awards.

Till then, get outside and enjoy!

Lee

Iron Horse / Rev3

My friends Andie Williamson-Hughes and Neil Mandel and my beautiful wife hold up trophies (and banana / potato chips).

Andie sneaking a kiss from Pucky.

Lani knocked off am impressive Rev3 @ Quassy Park on Saturday. This is an Olympic triathlon. LPIM in July here she comes!

My friend Jane Laurencelle ran her very first race ever (the Iron Horse 5K) and placed 1st in her division (33 minutes, a full 5 minutes faster than she told me she'd be happy with). She's already talking about a 10K. Waydago Jane!

Brent, Tray, Rose and I ran the 1/2. Rose and I placed.

Maureen Terwilliger managed yet another 1st woman overall with a 1:26. She holds the course record. Marty Schaivone did a 1:35.

On a scale from 1 to 3.14159 the running conditions were a 3.1415926535 8979323846 2643383279 5028841971 6939937510 5820974944 5923078164 0628620899

Lee