However, I would like to become more serious.. I think because I would like to bomb up and down hills and generally feel as strong as I feel in the first three miles of a run - all the way through an 8 mile run (if that makes sense). I want to be strong enough to run farther and faster so I can get into the depths of a big canyon and see what I can see (sorta like that bear who wanted to see the other side of the mountain).
SO I thought now that I have more time to run that I would get really strong on a few trails around me that I can run anytime and then a couple days a week break it up and go to harder trails and check them out.
I decided that I would time myself for trail PRs (like I see many of you do) to see if I could get faster. To do that today I re-ran the same 8 miles worth of trail that I reported in my last post. I was super excited because I was beating my time pretty well but then something funny happened. I noticed that my Nike+ (the little GPS gadget on my iphone that keeps my distance and time) was indicating that I ran a half mile more than last time on the exact same trail.
Now I am not sure if the trail is 8 miles or 8.5... for all I know it could be 7 miles! This is a bummer. However I did slice some time 1st = 2:12:18 2nd = 1:57:37 from the same distance (what ever that distance was). I wish the Nike+ was more accurate - either that or the garmin was smaller and cheaper. :) Are they even compatible with macs?
Hm.
Today I went to run Bommer Canyon - I haven't been there for awhile. I used to run from Quail Hill to Bommer past the Mariners church up to the 73 and back - it is a really nice 10 mile out and back (so said my Nike+) but life got crazy so I was running Sycamore in Riverside a lot since it was nearby.
Anyways, when I got there I was so surprised! There is a nice new lot! Bommer got a makeover - there is even a restroom now! I felt a little turned around I was so surprised! I didn't think it had been that long since I had been there. I didn't end up running though - it was 11:30am and it was SO HOT. I went home and did my regular 8 mile (?) loop at 6pm.
It was really nice. :)
This reminds me of when I'm running in a group and I ask what pace we're doing and if there are four people with Garmins, I get four different answers. Arghhhh. Glad one of your favorite routes has upped the amenities.
ReplyDeleteKate! That is an awesome improvement in your time after just one run. Wow.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on the heat!
Also, I read somewhere that the Nike+ is very accurate on flat runs, but for some reason isn't good for trail runs. I've read a few blogs like yours complaining about inaccuracies. : (
Anne,
ReplyDeleteSo the Garmins still are all over the place eh? I may just stick with my Nike+ for a bit longer then. :)
Lauren,
Yeah - I wasn't really trying too hard the first time round so the second time was probably a more accurate read on my time. lol It is a bummer about the Nike+ I really like the interface of it.