See Chris Run

Mid 40s husband, father, programmer, and runner about // races // plan

[seechrisrun]

Still working from home in 2021, so my mileage was very good with the extra time I was able to dedicate not having to commute. 2215 is ~200 miles more than I ran in 2020, and just short of my all-time high of 2243 in 2015.

My only goal going in was to take another shot at running a sub-1:20 half. I trained for that all summer. Unfortunately, August was a rough month with high humidity and a minor groin strain that I had to deal with. I did make it to race day healthy, but maybe a bit tentative. Either way, some of those lost weeks of training might have bit me because I only ran 1:21:19. Not a total disappointment, though, as that was my 2nd fastest ever, and it scored me an age group win at a pretty big race.

I was able to return to most of my regular races as well. Some of them looked a little different than normal, but the surprising thing is how many 5Ks I ran. It’s getting a lot harder to maintain leg speed, but I’m happy that I ended the year with a solid 17:44. I would have scoffed at that time a few years ago, but I’ll take what I can get.

I was not good about recapping my races, but here’s what I did:

Fast Cat 5K - 18:28 4 on the 3rd - 24:12 Daisy Dash 5K - 18:13 Chicago Half Marathon - 1:21:19 Raise the Roof 5K - 17:58 (1st overall) Bat Race 5K - 18:06 Beat the Bird 5K - 17:44

Haven’t really figured out what I want to do in 2022 yet. I didn’t sign up for the Chicago Marathon, but I haven’t discounted a fall marathon somewhere else. I’ll likely run another half marathon in there somewhere, but for now my focus is on the Shamrock Shuffle 8K on March 20th.

Prior Race Summaries: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

[seechrisrun]

As the temp dropped, I kept meaning to dig into my bag of running gear and grab another pair of gloves to wear over my regular ones. This pair of Snittens was in there. Must have been a gift from my wife last year, and they were great. Hands toasty warm and the “snot” part of Snittens came in handy too. 🤧

[seechrisrun]

Winter has definitely arrived here in Chicagoland. I don’t mind the cold, but all the snow and ice can be a real drag. I’ll take it over the treadmill almost every time though.

I’ll try to put a 2021 recap up soon. As much of a drag as last year has been for most things, running has gone pretty well and been a lifeline to my sanity.

[seechrisrun]

It’s been a good month. I needed 10 days or so to recover from my half marathon, but since then it’s been go-go-go. I hadn’t planned for any more races until a 5K on Thanksgiving, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Two years ago I ran (and won) the Raise the Roof 5K at the local high school. It’s a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, which my older son was involved in. When I saw they were doing it again this year, I had to defend my title! I ended up winning again by a significant gap in an official time of 17:58 to claim another golden hammer.

They decided to have a team-based step challenge at work in October. Most average steps per week wins a cash prize. I thought it’d be a slam dunk with all the running I do, but some people are step monsters! Our team didn’t get it together for a win until last week when I capped off 58 miles with a 16-miler at one of my favorite local forest preserves. Really digging the fall vibes out there, at least until I got soaked when the rain picked up. Looks like we’re in line for another win this week, but we won’t know for sure until midnight...

This week, I got a surprise message from @ariavie that she and Matt were going to be in town and were running a 5K out near where I went to high school. I threw in a late registration and joined them yesterday for a fun Halloween-themed race along the Fox River. Ended up 2nd (18:06) in a tight finish. It was so fun we also ran 12 together today on a boo-tiful fall morning. I hadn’t seen them in person since Boston ‘15. Hanging out again with them was a real (trick-or-) treat!

[seechrisrun]

Hey, strangers! If you’re not following me on Strava, then you’ve missed out on my training for today’s Chicago Half Marathon. I’ve taken a break from full marathons the last couple years to try to run a sub-1:20 half. Unfortunately, that goal remains elusive, but today’s race was some of the best running I’ve done in a while. Age group win was definitely a surprise!

My training was derailed a bit by extreme humidity and a groin injury in August. However, I made it through that with minimal cutbacks. I started out maybe faster than I should have, but I was feeling good. The course had some weird twists and turns in the middle that kinda threw me. Can’t totally blame that for some slower miles 6-10, but I was proud of my ability to buckle down and run that last 5K closer to goal pace.

Not sure what’s next. I’ve debated returning to the full at Chicago next year. I should be able to get in with their “5 in 10” application. It’s just getting harder to maintain a high level of training as I creep into my upper 40s. Having extra time working from home is helping. I do like being able to run this fast though...

[seechrisrun]

Hey, gang. Still chugging along here with running. Fully healthy for a few months now, I’ve returned to my regular training pattern of intervals, tempo, long run, and crossfit every week. With Chicago opening up again, my half marathon in September is officially on, and it’s time to get serious again.

This past week I hit 60 miles for the first time in what feels like forever. Either due to the hot weather and/or my advancing age, some of my workouts lately have not been quite up to snuff. Not gonna sweat it too much because I was on a good trajectory through the spring. I’ll adjust and hopefully be on target for that 1:20 finish I’ve had my eyes on.

The only other race I’ve been able to sign up for is 4 on the 4th. Traditionally very hot & hilly, I’m not expecting much. My wife is signed up too, and maybe I’m more excited about that than my own race? She’s still killing it in her return to running after many years off.

On the non-running front, I continue to work from home, which has afforded me more time to get my workouts in. That probably won’t change until Labor Day at the earliest, and even then I doubt it will be a full-time return like it was pre-pandemic. The other major event is that my oldest just graduated high school, and he’ll be away from home in just a couple months or so. Excited for him & sad for me, but I think he’s on a good path for who he is and wants to be.

Gritty details can always be found on Strava:

https://www.strava.com/athletes/43029581

[seechrisrun]

Hey, friends! Thought I’d pop in to say running is going well. I trained through the entire winter for the first time in a while with no injuries to speak of. I’m excited for my progress and look forward to hopefully running some races later this year.

I’ve mostly done easy running the last few months (30-35 mi/wk + crossfit). It’s been hard enough just finding somewhere I can run without slipping. Our old basement treadmill bit the dust and I’m not super comfortable going to the gym, so it’s been all outside in the Chicago winter. I did get in a 5-mile tempo at ~6:15 pace a week ago (thanks false spring) that felt pretty good. Some warmer weather should help get me motivated to put in the serious work.

My wife has really gotten back into running lately too. Before kids, we would run and race together. Well, not “together” per se, but at the same time and place. She’s getting pretty speedy now, and we have had to figure out who runs when so the kids and dog are taken care of. Should be exciting to see her out racing again!

And little Teddy is about a year and a half old now. He looks big in the photo, but he’s only like 20 lbs. Don’t think he’s really cut out for running with me, but I’m sure he’d like to try!

[seechrisrun]

2020. Not what I thought it was gonna be when the year started. I had hoped to put my injuries behind me and train back to prime form by the fall for a half marathon PR attempt. Never did quite shake the plantar fasciitis in my left foot, but it’s been very manageable if I take proper precautions. While quarantine has sucked and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, work from home had its positives as I was able to log more than 2K miles for the first time since 2015.

With fall races clearly not going to happen, I kinda cut back on the hard stuff in the summer and just focused on consistent training. I did eventually make two attempts at a solo half and was very pleased with my time. Hopefully by carrying this effort into 2021 and having something to focus on, my 1:20:40 PR will go down. It will be a joy to run and race with other people again.

A few virtual races this year. That last one was actually in-person.

EndureIt! Virtual 5K - 18:29ish Virtual Half #1 - 1:25:18 Virtual Half #2 - 1:22:36 Run the Ridge 5K - 17:50ish (first overall)

Prior Race Summaries: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

[seechrisrun]

I had given up hope for any kind of real race this year, but I saw a sign on the road for one that normally happens in June moved to this weekend and in-person to boot. It was already capped at 75, but additional last-minute restrictions in Illinois meant it had to be run in groups of 10 starting every two minutes.

I had actually won this race back in 2015, so I was familiar with the course. They moved the start a bit, but otherwise it was the same streets. Since I started in the third group (by bib number) and also behind the 10K start about 50 yards ahead, I had a decent number of people that I had to pass in the early going. Getting around people was difficult at times, but kinda nice to have others to chase when I’d normally be at or near the front.

My splits were inconsistent (5:40, 5:58, 5:34), but the finish came sooner than expected. I’m assuming the course was short or I really took the tangents too seriously. Extrapolated, a full 5K is ~17:50, which is right where McMillan would project my time based on my recent half. After tallying all the chip times, I was the overall winner by over a minute. Keeping my local race champion streak alive for another year!

[seechrisrun]

After feeling disappointed with my half marathon performance two weeks ago, I figured I’d give it another shot. Much cooler weather and a better fueling plan resulted in a time almost 3 minutes faster. 1:22:36 (6:18 pace) is about what I thought I could do based on my training.

I wasn’t super confident going into it this morning. A little undecided on what to wear in the high 30s weather, but a long sleeve, shorts, and gloves was perfect. Last time, I took a gel and a few sips of water after each of 3 loops (when I ran by my car). This time I brought a water bottle with me, even though it added some weight to my arm, and only took a gel at the 4-mile mark.

I was starting to feel it in my right hip on the last loop. I think the lingering tightness in my left heel has ended up putting more strain on my right side, but I’m working on it. Some positive self-talk and visualizing the finish got me through this time.

Really happy to have this under my belt, though, in a most unusual year. I’m not getting any younger. However, I’m feeling good about maintaining fitness through the winter and hopefully training normally for a half PR attempt in 2021. Sub-1:20 is the ultimate goal.

[seechrisrun]

Today would have been the Chicago Marathon. Even though I wasn’t signed up, I took advantage of their “virtual experience” to replace my half that was canceled. Yesterday, I went out and ran three big flat loops around a golf course so I wouldn’t have to deal with traffic.

The weather ended up not being ideal - low 60s, high humidity, and decent wind. There were also a few groups of people out there with the same idea I had. At least once, I had a hard time getting them to move to let me by.

Bottom line, though, I started a little too fast and couldn’t find the fire to fight through when it started to get tough. Knowing myself, I was afraid that would happen outside of a race environment. Still, a 1:25 half is pretty darn good for a solo attempt and only a little slower than the race I ran a year ago.

I was thinking 1:22-1:23 was my likely finish, so I’m disappointed all the miles I was able to get in this year didn’t translate to improvement. However, I didn’t put in a lot of speed training this summer when I realized there would be no official races. So, I may give it another shot in a few weeks. Or maybe I’ll just put it on cruise control for the rest of the year and look forward to 2021.

[seechrisrun]

Work from home continues, so I’m now hitting monthly totals that rival some of my marathon cycles of the past. 225 miles is the most I’ve done since August 2017. I’m also at 1,324 YTD, which already surpasses the last two injury-riddled years.

Too bad there’s really nothing to apply it to. I’ve topped out at 18 miles and thrown in a tempo run once a week, but I guess it’s all looking forward to 2021. There is a 5K happening in person in Sept which I’ve been debating. They’re doing it in waves with very little race-day amenities. Haven’t decided if it’s worth the effort since it’s a bit of a drive. If not that, the Chicago Marathon is facilitating virtual races in October, so I may try to run a half time trial in their window.

Otherwise, I’m managing. I can’t believe the kids are back to school already. Feels like the summer zipped by. Maybe because there were no real events to measure time against. Each day kinda felt the same. Work has been pretty good, but often isolating. My introversion definitely takes over when there’s no reason to have to get out or interact with people. I need to make more effort to connect with friends.

[seechrisrun]

Running is still going well. I hit 215 miles in July after hovering just below 200 for a few months. That’s my highest total since Sept ‘18 in the height of my last marathon training cycle. Body’s holding up okay with some minor tightness in my left calf.

Not pushing it too hard - only occasional tempo or long runs to help build some strength and confidence. My half in September was officially cancelled. I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to attempt a solo time trial or not. I’d like to see some improvement from last year’s time, but I worry I won’t have that same tenacity if I’m out there by myself.

Little Teddy is now 9 months old and probably about the size he’ll stay. Still very active, but he’s learning and such a sweetie. He didn’t get to finish his obedience training before the quarantine, so he’s a bit of a stinker when it comes to listening to commands. Hopefully that will improve with time.

Both boys are high schoolers now. Where has the time gone? I feel bad for them both as your first and last year of high school can be exciting, but it will be far from what I experienced. We’re hoping for some in-person class time. The way surrounding school districts are adjusting lately, though, it might be all remote. Guess I need to bone up on my biology and trig...

[seechrisrun]

Running/Cardio Questions

Tagged by @keepgoinggreen for the questions below:

1. What's your secret weapon that gets you ready to go? Coffee? Particular songs? Splash of cold water? Hard slap in the face?

Nothing in particular. I just like to run? Pre-coronavirus, I was mostly motivated to run, shower, and jump on the train in time for work. Nowadays, I’m way more lazy about getting it going in the morning. I currently give myself about 30 minutes to go to the bathroom, eat a little, and stretch before hitting the streets and always seem to need longer than that.

2. People with long hair, how do you keep it out of your face and under control? People with short hair, do you use product when you're exercising?

I almost always run early in the morning, so I’m generally pretty gross and don’t do anything to make myself look presentable other than running my fingers through my hair (what I have left). If I’m meeting up for a group run, I will shave and put on some deodorant for the public good!

3. What's your get-to-the-finish song that never lets you down?

I stopped racing with music long ago, but I’d say “Move Your Feet” by Junior Senior is a personal favorite and always makes me smile. Close second would be “Higher Ground” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Perfectly frantic to get you driving your legs.

4. Would you recommend the shoes you're currently using? If not, what's your dream pair?

I’ve been using Mizuno Wave Inspires lately as they seem to help with my plantar fasciitis issues. They’re not amazing, but my feet are happy. Before that I used to run in Nike Pegasus because they were so comfortable.

5. Runners only! Do you ever see animals while you're out? City slickers, do you pass any cool shops or businesses?

Dogs, cats, opossum, rabbits, squirrels, deer, coyotes, and most unfortunately skunks. I don’t think I got sprayed ever, but I must have run across the path of one that had recently. I needed to toss that pair of shoes!

6. Non-runners only! Do you prefer to work out at home or at the gym?

I’m pretty awful about working out at home. I have an old treadmill and some workout equipment, but I don’t really use any of it. I go once a week to a crossfit gym because meeting a trainer seems to be the only way I’ll do it!

7. What are your thoughts on nodding/waving/smiling while passing other runners? Do you do it? Should everyone do it? Non-runners, what's your etiquette for saying hi to others at the gym?

Okay, I’ve probably thought about this way too much over the years. Here are the rules I follow when it comes to waving:

- always wave to a runner coming in the opposite direction - wave to a walker coming in the opposite direction if there’s eye contact - low wave to a runner you’re passing if you’re not blowing by them - don’t wave to cyclists unless they wave first (so they don’t have to take their hands off the bike)

8. Podcasts, yes or no?

Almost exclusively. I do a lot of running alone, so podcasts kinda make me feel like I’m in a conversation with friends. If I’m doing a hard workout where my focus will be on the performance, I’ll usually switch to music because it’s hard to actually listen to the words. The two podcasts I rotate through right now are Armchair Expert and I’ll Have Another. I used to listen to The BS Report and Nerdist, but it’s been a while now.

9. What's your favorite post-cardio meal?

I’m not usually hungry after running, but a Chocolate Mint Clif bar or protein shake is pretty standard. If we’re talking after a marathon, in the late afternoon I’m usually ready for a greasy cheeseburger and a milkshake!

[seechrisrun]

Despite everything going on in the world, running has been pretty good lately and a bit of a lifeline, helping get me out of the house and burning off stress.

Working from home is fine, but definitely not what I prefer. I recently moved my computer from the living room down to the basement so I’m not in the middle of all the distractions of kids and dogs and stuff. It’s been better, but also dark and cold down there. I have to wear a jacket and pants when it’s 90F outside! Probably not going back downtown anytime soon, so I guess I should get used to it.

As usual, I’m dealing with minor aches and pains. I think I’ve got them mostly under control right now. Another trip to the chiro would be good to help relieve some back/hip tightness. Regardless, I cranked through a 14-mile run at 7:07 pace early this morning feeling strong.

I’m almost positive my half in September will not happen, so I may be looking at a solo time trial. I’ve already started mapping out potential locations where I won’t have issues with traffic, but I’d be lying if I said I’m optimistic about running a fast time by myself.

Hope you’re all doing as well as you can. I’m still checking in even if I’m not posting that much!

[seechrisrun]

First “race” of the year! It had to be a virtual one on a preset course, but at this point I’ll take anything I can get. This time was best by over two minutes when I uploaded it, but of course it was beat by 30 secs within a couple hours. At least I get some Honey Stinger chews as my “prize”!

I ran roughly the same time about a year ago. I’ve logged a lot more miles this year so far, so I was hoping for faster. The stiff wind was in my face the entire first mile, and it’s tough to run hard when you’re out there by yourself. Bottom line, though, I just haven’t done much training at a pace faster than this.

Good to feel a little of that lung-searing burn. It’s not looking good for any races this summer, so there might be more of these in my near future. Guess I’ll need more hard intervals and/or fartlek in my diet.

[seechrisrun]

Really starting to pick up some mileage now that the weather is (slightly) warmer and I’ve got more time in the morning to get out for a run. I’ve been shooting for 4 days on, 1 day off to keep giving my body some rest. On the off days, I’ve been doing dryland workouts with my younger son, who can’t get in the water to swim right now. Those have been pretty tough for me, particularly the ones that are almost exclusively core-oriented.

I haven’t been pushing for really long runs, but I have started mixing in tempo and speed workouts. Highlight for April was probably a 5-mile tempo that I did earlier this week at 6:15 pace. Still holding out hope for some racing this year, but the key is to stay injury-free and keep building the foundation.