Sean's Running Blog

Railroad Days 10k

Previous MonthRecent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesSean Sundwall's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewYear View
Graph View
Next Month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
20072008200920102011201220132014
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

Snoqualmie,WA,

Member Since:

Feb 24, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

  • 2011 Boston Marathon -- 2:27 (Top 50)
  • 2011 Steilacoom 20k -- 1:04:57 (1st)
  • 2010 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon -- 2:26 (7th) 
  • 2010 Fall City 10k -- 31:06 (1st)
  • 2009 Indy Mini Marathon -- 1:07:53 (7th)
  • 2009 WWU Invitational -- 10000m (30:58)
  • 2009 UW Indoor Meet -- 5000m (14:49)
  • 2008 Orem Turkey Run -4 miler -- 19:55 (1st)
  • 2008 Seafair Torchlight 8k--25:03 (3rd) 
  • 2008 Time to Fly 5k -- 15:35 (1st)
  • 2008 Newport Marathon -- 2:22:47 (1st)
  • Steilacoom 15M--1:18:30 (1st)
  • 2007 Olympic Trials -- 2:30:41 (91st)
  • 2007 St. George --2:18:55 (3rd)

Short-Term Running Goals:

  • Feb 23 -- Ft Steilacoom 15M
  • March 23  – Ft. Steilacoom 20k
  • April 15  – Boston Marathon
  • June 8 – Sound to Narrows 12k
  • June 22  – Grandma’s Half Marathon (USATF Champs.)
  • July 7 – Run of the Mill 5k
  • July 27 – Torchlight 8k
  • September – SJJ Half (maybe)
  • October/November – Fall Marathon (maybe)
  • December – Club XC Nationals

Long-Term Running Goals:

 Stay healthy

Personal:

Ran track my junior and senior years in high school and cross country my senior year. Went to BYU but did not run. Served LDS church mission to San Bernardino, CA. Started running again in April 2005. Marathon debut was St. George in 2005.

I coach the Mount Si High School Track Team (distance)

Been married for almost 17 years. My wife, Mara, and I have four kids ages 16, 14, 13 and 11.

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Brooks T5 Lifetime Miles: 34.00
Ravenna Lifetime Miles: 250.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
323.007.0024.504.50359.00
Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 251.50Brooks Adrenaline (Green) Miles: 57.50Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 49.50
Weight: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.000.000.000.0014.00

A cool and beautiful 14 mile run this morning. No residual pain or tightness or anything from Saturday night's run. That's a good thing.

First time I have run at 5:30 in the morning for quite some time. Im going to have to get used it.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.000.000.000.0013.00

Ran a late 13 this evening. Kind of a bummer because I have to turn right around tomorrow morning at 5:30 and do my mid-week workout.

Random thunderstorm this evening. Was kind of fun getting pelted by soft hail.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 13.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.007.001.000.0014.00

Man 5:30 came quickly. So 9 hours after finsihing my 13 mile run last night I got up to do my workout this morning. Perfect morning weather wise. Low 50s, thick marine layer and even a little mist. The workout was 7M@5:28 plus 1M@something faster that that.

First mile I must have still been asleep: 5:38. I just wasn't concentrating. The rest were in the 5:25-5:28 range with the final one coming in at 5:13. I wore my trainers rather than my racers just to give my calves a break. It felt like I was wearing boots.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.000.000.000.0014.00

14 wonderful miles this evening. Half was in the dark but it was still quite warm.

Brooks Adrenaline (Green) Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.250.000.000.0013.25

Humid morning again but very pleasant temps. Going to be close to 90 miles this week.

Brooks Adrenaline (Green) Miles: 13.25
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.000.004.000.0020.00

A really nice finish to the biggest mileage week in a really long time. Probably the most in almost a year.

Thick overcast this morning and still very humid. Fortunately, it wasn't super warm. Another early workout this week...was on the track by 6am.

The workout was 3M@5:08 followed by a 1:00 rest and then 1 more mile "faster." Hit 5:05, 5:09 and then 5:08. My coach had told me before the workout that I was going to have a few negative thoughts during that 1:00 rest heading into the fourth and final mile. He wasn't kidding. I did manage a 5:03. Would have been nice to go sub 5:00 but I am very happy with how the week's mileage went. The workouts were solid coming off of a very good performance in last Saturday's Torchlight race.

Now let's hope I can stay healthy.

Brooks Adrenaline (Green) Miles: 16.00Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 4.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.500.000.000.0014.50

We are vacationing in Sunriver, Oregon, a favorite spot of ours since I was a very young kid. Elevation is 4200'

Ran the perimeter of the Sunriver resort which came out to 14 miles. Added a little bit more. Very cool this morning which is pretty normal. Mid-40s at sunrise and mid 80s by mid afternoon. So I am glad I brought a long sleeve shirt and gloves. Beautiful day for a run.

 

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.50
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
15.000.000.000.0015.00

Managed to eke out 15 miles running the outer Sunriver loop. It was even cooler thie morning...44 degrees. But it was quite refreshing in part because it was sunny and beautiful.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.750.005.000.0012.75

Had the privilege of doing a workout with my sister this morning. We went north to Central Oregon Comm. College to do the workout on the track there. The workout was 8x1k on 1:00 rest. A challenge to say the least. The target time was 3:07-3:08.

I was a but nervous going in because yesterday we spent a lot of time swimming and I played 18 holes of pitiful golf. Didn't know how the legs would respond or what factor the altitude (4200') would play. Jack Daniels claims that the reall impact of altitude isn't really felt until about 6-7,000'. But I think laws of physics suggest there is at least some mile impact even at 4200'. But i didn't feel like it had much of an impact. I didn't feel any particular shortness of breath or extra soreness in the legs.

After a 2.5 mile warmup around the college, I changed into my racing flats and began the slog. Rep 1 was in 3:07. I went out way too fast...first lap was in 72 seconds. So I coasted the rest of the way knowing I had 7 more reps to go. Rep 2 was in 3:06. Still a bit fast but manageable. Rep 3 also in 3:06. This the first mental gut check. 3 is a long way from 8 and thinking about the prospect of doing 5 more was less than joyful. Rep 4 was 3:07. Wondering how I was going to do four more.

By Rep 5 my sister had strained her left calf. Bummer. So now i was on my own. Granted, she wasn't ever running at my pace but there is some benefit in running with someone you know even if it's at a different pace. Did #5 in 3:07. Mental gut check #2. Taking each remaining rep one at a time.

#6 -- 3:08.

#7 -- 3:08. Hanging on for dear life.

Headed in the final rep I really wanted to hit something below 3:08. Managed 3:06 with a reallly strong final 400.

Really solid workout.  

Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 6.00Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 6.25
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.000.000.000.0016.00

My left calf felt pretty sore all afternoon yesterday so I opted for a late morning run in the warmer weather to help loosen things up. My family was headed to Wickiup Reservoir this afternoon so I took off early and ran 16 of the 25 miles it took to get there and had the fam pick me up at the Mile 16 mark. It was somewhat warm but just a wonderful run along a fairly remote highway with very little traffic. Then I enjoyed a nice afternoon at the lake.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 16.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.500.000.000.0014.50

After way too much time in the sun yesterday I woke up feeling pretty burned. So I wanted to get out and done early before getting too much more sun exposure. Did the full Sunriver loop in reverse. Made a point of saying good morning to everyone I passed. Made for a lot of good mornings and was definitely with the tiny bit of effort to do so.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.50
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.250.000.001.7518.00

Final running day in Eastern Oregon before heading home tomorrow. I love running in Bend. There are so many paths and trails and places to run along the river. Lots of diverse terrain and plenty of elevations.

Workout today was 3 sets of 5x200m at :34/:33/:32/:33/:34 with about 40 seconds rest between 200s and 2:30 rest between sets. After a 5-mile warmup I hit the track.

Set 1--:33/:34/:32/:33/:34

Set 2 -- :33/:33/:32/:33/:33

Set 3 -- :34/:33/:32/:34/:32

This is a great workout because it's short but for a guy with no foot speed like me, it is still quite challenging. I felt the effects of altitude for the first time mostly in a shortness of breath. No biggie, but it was noticeable for the first time.

So another really good week of training. I crossed the 90-mile threshold for the first time since September of last year. I followed that week up with 102 miles and then went injured and missed my fall marathon. So 91 will be it for me. I have a race next weekend so next week will be lighter anyway.

I feel really good. Hope to stay injury free.

Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 4.00Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.000.000.000.0014.00

Back home in beautiful and scorching Seattle. Yikes. mid 90s again today before 70s later this week. We got home and our house was 85 degrees inside. It was a less than pleasant night's sleep which made waking up at 5:30am this morning for a run even less exciting. But I pulled myself out of bed and hit the road. It must have been 60 degrees.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.750.000.002.7512.50

Ladder workout today:

1M, 1200, 800, 400, 400 with 2:00 rest between each interval except the 400s.

1M: 4:48 (nice)

1200m: 3:38

800m: 2:25

400m: 70

400m: 69

Still have no footspeed. I'm wonderig how many high school girls at MSHS could beat me in the 400m.

Good workout though.

Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 3.50Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 9.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.500.000.000.0013.50

My new job in Seattle will make it really difficult to run much during the day. So I will be running a ton in the early morning hours. But today was a rare day i was able to walk outside my office and go for a run in downtown Seattle. It was my very first run in Seattle other than a couple of races. I'm down near the water in Pioneer Square so I took the trail along the wharf and headed north toward Magnolia. It was a gorgeous afternoon and running along the water made it easier to pass through a very industrial part of Seattle. I ran up to Discovery Park and back. Coming back was cool because I has the city skyline in view for the last five or so miles.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 13.50
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.250.000.000.0014.25

Beautiful run this morning on the Ridge before heading into work. Getting excited about the race on Saturday.

Brooks Adrenaline (Green) Miles: 14.25
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

8 easy ahead of tomorrow's race

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 8.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
15.250.000.000.0015.25

A cool and beautiful morning in Snoqualmie. Perfect for a fairly long run to kick of a week where I hope to hit 90 miles again.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 15.25
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.000.000.000.0014.00

Didn't feel quite ready to do the midweek workout so I just ran an easy 14.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.007.000.0015.00

Didn't feel like running early this morning despite knowing today was going to be hot in the afternoon. It was.

Started my run at 5:30 when it was 85 degrees. Not very smart but I did take a couple of bottles of water with me. Just for fun I weighed myself before just to see how much weight I would lose in the process.

The workout was 6M@5:40 + 1M@5:15 or so. My coach told me that it would sound and even feel easy but that I was still recovering from Saturday's race and by the end of the workout, i would be feeling it.

So I did the workout along RR Days 5k route, doing two laps of it plus adding a mile at the end. Miles 1 and 2 were in 5:30. Oops. I really tried to slow down but was ineffective in doing so. I felt great I just knew with the heat I would probably regret it. Mile 3...5:32. Mile 4 5:30. Mile 5 I really made an effort to slow it down. The result: 5:28. OK, so I'm a sucky pacer at 5:40. Mile 6 was different. I was starting to feel the effects of the heat and landed at 5:40...right where I was supposed to be. So the last mile was exhausting. Ended up witha 5:20. It was pretty much all I had left.

The jog home was humbling. I was very dehydrated despite drinking 34 ounces of water during the span of the 11 miles to that point.

When I got home, I weighed myself...I had lost 5.5 not including the pound of water I consumed during the run. So in 90 minutes or so of running, I lost 6.5 pounds, almost all of it water. That's a gallon jug of water lost. Yikes.

Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.500.000.000.0013.50

Felt miserable most of the day in terms of sore muscles. Yesterday's workout really took it's toll and I am still pretty dehydrated and my muscles haven't recovered. It was one of my slowest easy runs I can remember. It was fun to do the final mapping of my trail run I am hosting in a month. It's going to be challenging but awesome.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 13.50
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.000.000.000.0014.00

I've lived in the Snoqualmie area for five years so it's not every day that I run a route completely new. Today was one of those days. I ran from my house to Issaquah along the Preston-Issaquah trail. We are blessed here to have hundreds of miles of runnings trails that are converted from old railways. The surfaces vary between paved and gravel/dirt, but they are generally beautiful. This one was no different. I had run from home to Preston a few times but never continued down all the way to Issquah. The trail actually leads all the way into downtown Seattle. Maybe when I feel like running 27 miles into work I will try it some time. Beautiful day although I am still pretty sore from Wednesday heat workout. Still battling the effects of dehydration.

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.500.007.500.0019.00

Today's workout was among the most challenging I have ever done. Fortunately it was sunny but fairly cool when I got started around 4pm.

The workout was a lengthy hill threshold run of 3.7 miles up Lakemont Blvd in Bellevue. I started at the I-90 underpass and went to the entry gate of Cougar Mountain Wildlife Reserve...some 962 feet above the starting point. There are two downhill stretches of about 1/4 mile each but other than that, it's a pretty brutal climb especially the first mile which at 7% grade feels straight uphill. Just as a comparison, the Veyo hill which is almost exactly a mile from bottom to top is a 3.99% grade.

My coach wanted this to be a threshold run. So he did some fancy calculations based on my flat terrain threshold of 5:10 or so and he came up with 5:56. The only problem is he based it on a 4% grade it's simply not. It's 5% and I am a witness that every 1% totally matters.

To minimize both the downhill trauma and to shorten the rest interval, I stashed my bike at the top so I could ride it down after the first rep.

I felt mostly recovered from my bout with dehydration. I had spent the last 48 hours drinking like a fish and by this afternoon, my joints felt less achy and more oiled.

So after a two-mile warmup, I set off on my "adventure." I had stashed water in a couple of spots but ended up only taking it once on the way up. When I got to the top the first time, I had to take care of some bowel issues. Then I grabbed my bike at the top and started the trek down. After one more trip to the potty, I finished my trip down hitting 45mph without event pedaling. Freaky.

When I got off the bike, my legs were mush. A really weird sensation. So needless to say, the first mile was a wreck. But I managed to recover and be within a few seconds of my first rep times despite being pretty gassed.

Below are my times for each rep for each mile. Prety happy especially since I thought i was going to die after Wednesday's debacle.

Grade of first mile is 7% = 6:11/6:39 (ugh)

Grade of second mile is 5.3% = 6:14/6:16 (nice)

Grade of third mile is 2.8% = 5:54/5:51 (nice)

Grade of last .70 miles is 4.4% 4:25/4:35 (I'll take it)

Overall grade: 4.92% = 22:44/22:55

To get my 90 miles for the week I ran down the other side of Cougar Mountain and into Issaquah. It was beautiful. 90.75 for the week. Next week will be lighter as I gear up for the SJJ Half marathon on Labor Day.

Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 17.00Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 2.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
15.000.000.000.0015.00

Wonderful early morning run

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.000.000.0012.00

Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 12.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
323.007.0024.504.50359.00
Ravenna #4 Blue Miles: 251.50Brooks Adrenaline (Green) Miles: 57.50Brooks ST4 (Yellow) Miles: 49.50
Weight: 0.00
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: