Goal Accomplished…Nearly

This morning I ran in the Pottstown Patriotic 5k. I’d been focused on running this event since early spring. I hadn’t been running much so I really started packing in the miles.

I was a little nervous this morning but I tried to follow my normal morning routine that I do for mountain bike races. I knew that I could run the distance but I wanted to hit my time goal. It was a little hotter and more humid than what I typically like but I thought ‘hey, at least I’ll get a good sweat on’. I know I’m weird, I like to sweat. Registration was smooth and quick thanks to having preregistered. I did some stretching, hung out with some family who were also running or walking, and headed over to the start line.

The start was fairly smooth, I started in the middle of the pack and the first hill really stretched everyone out. I hit the first mile mark at 9:15, which was way to fast for me and I knew I couldn’t maintain that speed for the rest of the race. It was HOT along High Street in Pottstown, not much shade and zero breeze. I was happy to see the water station on Franklin and gulped down a cup. When I hit the 2 mile mark I was at 20 minutes and just about on mark for my goal of finishing in 30 minutes.  Just after the 2 mile mark my right foot started hurting. I’ve been struggling with some pain there for the past 2 weeks.  I’m not sure of the cause but it’s right under my 3 outside toes and hurts like hell. I tried to push through it as best I could and did take a few quick walk breaks. Unfortunately, the final mile was up hill which aggravated my foot even more but I wanted to hit my goal. There was a nice spectator who had his garden hose out and gave us a nice spray down as we ran by. This helped me tremendously! Just before the 3 mile mark I could see the finish line and picked up the pace knowing the suffering would be over soon. I finished in just over 32 minutes.

I’m happy with my result and proud of myself for pushing through. I really missed my running partner Oakley today and realized how much more fun it is to run with him. At one point in the race I told myself this would be my last 5k but looking back on it I think I’ll do another. I’m too competitive with myself and already want to improve on my time!

Here is the Strava information from my iPhone (I didn’t stop it as I crossed the finish, probably have about 20 extra seconds on it): http://app.strava.com/runs/12445913

I hope everyone has a very Happy 4th of July!!

Countdown

The countdown is on to the 5k on the 4th of July. I haven’t been running as much as I should but I’m feeling pretty confident in my ability to do well in the 5k. My goal is to finish around 30 minutes. It is a modest goal but still a goal that I will have to work for on race day.

Earlier this week I completed my first really long run/walk on the SRT in Parkerford. We did 5 miles and I think that we ran about 4.5 miles of that. I was a little sore the day after but I blame this on still getting used to the Altra running shoes and the gravel of the trail. I also ran with my cousin who is much faster than me, I was working the whole time to keep up.

This morning I headed out for a run a little later than I wanted. It was a bit hot to push my running partner (my dog Oakley). So we did an easy 1.5 miles but in that 1.5 miles I see improvement. Through Strava I can see that my splits are better and that I’m faster on some of the segments I created.

In the final days leading up to the 5k on Wednesday I plan to mountain bike on Sunday, a longish run (2.5 miles) on Monday and just a slow/run walk on Tuesday. I think this will make sure that I’m used to the heat and I stay nice and loose for race day.

The Tour de France started today! I’m so excited for this years race. I’m hoping to be there in person next year!

Schuylkill River Trail – Parkerford to Cromby

I finally had the chance to explore a new section of the Schuylkill River Trail. I rode my bike on the road from Pottstown to the trail head in Parkerford. I needed to do some interval training and found this section of trail perfect for doing so. The trail is not paved but is a fine cinder that is well packed. I didn’t have any trouble with my road bike and hardcase Bontrager tires. I think the cinder added some nice resistance to my workout.

There are powerlines which run the whole length of the trail to the Cromby trailhead. They are perfectly spaced for doing the interval training. I sprinted for two and relaxed for one or visa-versa. On my return trip I focused on maintaining a strong steady cadence. There weren’t many other cyclists on the trail but it was full of joggers and walkers! I highly suggest checking out this portion of the trail and even follow the road into Phoenixville to have lunch or a snack or stop in Royesford on you way back!

Running Update

I’ve had a pretty good week with my running. My biggest frustration is not gaining any speed. I know interval training will help. But I often finish a run and feel like I could have gone faster. Does anybody have any tips to motivate myself to run faster? I’m able to convince myself to ride faster on the bike pretty easily but running is a struggle.

Our Trails and Parks Are in Danger!

Late last week many local cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts received word that our Montgomery County trails and parks are in danger! If you enjoy using the Perkiomen and Schuylkill River Trails or visiting Elmwood Zoo, I suggest you pay attention!

Due to a $40 Million Dollar shortfall in the 2012 budget, Montgomery County Commissioners are proposing to eliminate funding for the entire county park system  along with the County Planning Commission. In short, the County is looking to plug a budget hole by tearing apart the County’s park infrastructure.

Closing parks and trails should not be one of the solutions to Montco’s budget crisis!  Open space and trails have been created and preserved for public use. They generate economic activity which dwarfs the trail’s maintenance costs.  Parks and trails are essential to quality of life in Montgomery County.

• The Perkiomen Trail attracts 400,000 visitors a year who spend $4.4 million in goods and services. Yearly routine maintenance cost: $45,000 (source).
• The Schuylkill River Trail boasts 800,000 visitors a year who spend $7.3 million (source)

Take action today! Let our County Commissioners know how important it is to keep our County Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites open:

• Send a letter today to the Montco commissioners
• Comment on the budget online
• Post your comments on Facebook and Twitter
• Attend this hearing:

Proposed 2012 budget Public Hearing

Wednesday, December 7 at 10 AM

Montgomery County Courthouse, Court Room A, Swede Street Entrance, Norristown, PA

If you are planning to attend the hearing, Bikesport is organizing supporters to ride to the hearing on the very trails they want to defund! Meet on your bike at 9 AM at the Pawlings Road trailhead to ride as a group to this hearing. Bring a bike lock for your bike! Dress casually. Wearing your bright lycra may not help this cause.

If you are a user of the trails or parks, I ask that you please consider taking action and let our elected officials know that the parks and trails are important to us and we cannot stand idly by as they defund some of the many things that make living in Montgomery County great!

Grateful

Today’s weather was perfect for a bike ride! After doing some chores in the morning I was ready to go for my ride around lunch time. Lately I’ve bee riding to Green Lane park and back. Today I decided to switch it up and do a Chester County ride that I haven’t done for awhile. I love this time of year when the leaves are just starting to change and the humidity has finally dropped. It’s perfect for enjoying the great outdoors!

I certainly wasn’t the only one who was out enjoying the weather and in a good mood despite the Phillies loss last night. Today was one of the very rare occasions where I experienced ZERO aggressive drivers! In fact there are three drivers that stick out in my mind for going the extra mile and having some patience. The first incident occured when I was on Longview Road in Limerick and a BIG dog came out into the street barking at me. I was able to get her to stop by yelling loudly but she wouldn’t go back in the yard and I was hesitant to ride off for fear she may give chase. I was just reaching for my water bottle to spray her when a gentleman in a red Jeep pulled up and started honking the horn at her. He then made sure to block her view of me as I rode off! I’ve never had that happened before! The second driver showed some extreme patience with me. As I was climbing a hill on Pughtown Road, they came up to a stop from a road on my right. Unlike, most drivers they didn’t pull out and cut me off as I struggled up the hill. They waited for me to drag myself up the hill and then made their turn going the opposite way. The third and final act of kindness came when I pulled off at the base of Coventryville Road to call my husband to see what dinner plans were and how much longer I had to ride.  A very nice couple stopped to ask if I was alright. It’s good to know that if a cyclist was in trouble there would be people out there to help them!

Thanks for all the good vibes today! The weather looks great for tomorrow as well, try and get out and enjoy it!!

CRASH!

Once again the benefits of wearing a helmet hit home. My Dad can thank his helmet for saving his life yesterday. He went for a Saturday ride, much as he usually does. But instead of returning home he got an ambulance ride to Pottstown Hospital. He was on Neiffer Road in Limerick when a small dog ran out in front of him. He managed to slow his bike down to about 25 mph but hit the dog square on and went flying over his handlebars. He rolled away from the crash with a broken collarbone, 3 broken ribs plus more fractures than you can count, a punctured lung, and a very badly pulled groin. Despite these injuries we are all very thankful for the helmet. If it wasn’t for the helmet he would not be coming home today. I still find it hard to believe that so many people don’t wear helmets or allow their kids to ride without helmets. Even in the driveway injuries can happen. My Dad has a long road ahead of him but I’m glad it’s shorter than what it could be. WEAR YOUR BRAIN BUCKET!! Oh and keep your dogs under control! This dog has chased my Dad and I more than once!

Cracks on the inside of my Dad's helmet

Crack on the outside of my Dad's helmet

The bruise on my Dad's shoulder, the one with the broken collar bone

Bike Lanes

I don’t spend much, if any time in the city and have never ridden my bike in the city. The most experience I have with a bike lane is the one on High Street in Pottstown. A NYC cyclist, Casey Neistat made a video protesting the $50 ticket he received for riding outside the bike lane in NYC. The video has since gone viral! I find it absolutely ridiculous that he received this ticket and I hope this brings more attention to what the city cyclist must face on a daily basis.

Went for a run and found a race!

My husband and I recently adopted a 10 month old black lab puppy from the SPCA. His name is Oakley and he has officially become my new running partner. Yes, sometimes I run when I can’t fit in a bike ride, but trust me I am not a runner, I am a cyclist who enjoys torturing myself by running! I think some people may call this cross training. Well, I decided that Tuesday night would be a great night to venture down to Pottstown’s Riverfront Park for a run along the trail. I loaded Oakley in the car with lots of water and off we went on our adventure. It turns out that we wouldn’t be the only ones running on the trail Tuesday night, we happened upon the Chester County Running Store’s Tuesdays in the Park 5k Series.

The races start at 7 and are held once a month on a Tuesday evening. The divisions are split by age and I was very impressed by the number of young runners participating in this event. It’s nice to see families being active together. The family aspect of outdoor activities have always been an important part in my life and it’s something I plan to continue.

One hot pup after our run. We enjoyed watching the racers finish.

It was a hot night for a run but Oakley and I both enjoyed ourselves. We even spotted a couple of baby foxes and watched them play along the trail. Perhaps I’ll try and run in the next race but discovering a race while out for a run was a great find!