Friday, May 28, 2010

Fairbanks Youth Development Meet - RESULTS!

We hosted the first Fairbanks Youth Devlopment track meet on Wednesday. It would happen to be the hottest day of the year (82 degrees at 6 PM that evening), but not too bad considering the host sites for the NCAA Regionals this weekend are into the 90s.

Thirty-three young athletes from 12 to 18 years old competed. This was put together in just the last few weeks, so the turn out was about what I expected. Next year we'll get the word out earlier and more often, and we hope to have the middle school program up and running by late April.

West Valley High school was well represented at the meet. Notable performances included a 2:06.5 800 by Kuba Grzeda, who just finished his freshman year, and 8th grader Daniel Remmington ran a 58.5 400. Molly Callahan, 5th in the Alaska State Championships 3200 m last weekend, cruised with 5:20.5 to win in the 1500 m.

The goal of these meets is to provide a fun and low key environment for aspiring young track athletes to test themselves at different events.

May 26, 2010
West Valley High School
Middle School age - completed 6-8
High School age - completed 9-12

Women

100 M Run - Middle School
1. Jada Anderson 14.37
2. Rebecca Carney-Braveman 15.19
3. Maria Frantz 15.72

100 M Run - High School
1. Michelle Strehl 15.38
2. Mariah Ver Hoef 16.84

200 M Run - Middle School
1. Jada Anderson 30.06
2. Maria Frantz 37.49

200 M Run - High School
1. Gathoni Egger 31.12
2. Julia Sherman 31.43
3. Ema Mayo 32.78
4. Michelle Strehl 33.19

400 M Run - Middle School
1. Allison Hebard 01:18.6

400 M Run - High School
1. Abby Noon 01:13.8

800 M Run - Middle School
1. Allison Hebard 02:57.6

800 M Run - High School
1. Ema Mayo 02:38.1
2. Gathoni Egger 02:50.2
3. Sarah Lilly 02:55.8

1500 M Run - High School
1. Molly Callahan 05:20.5
2. Gathoni Egger 05:45.2
3. Julia Sherman 05:48.7
4 Sarah Lilly 05:49.2

3000 M Run - Women - High School
1. Brigit Noon 12:47.8

Long Jump - Women
1. Michelle Strehl 12 ft. 7 in.
2. Brigit Noon 12 ft. 5-3/4 in.
3. Gathoni Egger 12 ft. 5-1/4 in.
4. Abby Noon 10 ft. 10 in.

Men


100 M Run - Middle School
1. Danny Eagan 13.1
2. Sam Carney-Braveman 14.15

100 M Run - High School
1. Wyatt Mayo 12.19
2. Brandon Kowalski 13.04
3. Riley Troyer 13.35
4. Sam Kendall 13.65
5. Mikko Sayre 22.20

200 M Run - Middle School
1. Daniel Remington 27.45
2. Danny Eagan 27.46
3. Sam Carney-Braveman 30.65
4. Erich Hoefler 30.84
5. Sam Hiltenbrand 33.30

200 M Run - High School
1. Wyatt Mayo 25.62
2. Kuba Grzeda 26.34

400 M Run - Men - Middle School
1. Daniel Remington 58.50
2. Casey MacCheyne 01:04.6
3. Max Donaldson 01:11.1
4. Tristan Sayre 01:15.1

400 M Run - High School
1. Andrew Bishop 55.86
2. Brandon Kowalski 58.33
3. Mikko Sayre 01:04.6
4. Seth Stout 01:13.3

800 M Run - Middle School
1. Harry Simpson 02:29.1
2. Casey MacCheyne 02:30.8
3. Erich Hoefler 02:31.0

800 M Run - High School
1. Kuba Grzeda 02:06.5
2. Wyatt Mayo 02:10.8
3. Sam Kendall 02:24.8
4. Riley Troyer 02:28:0

1500 M Run - Middle School
1. Harry Simpson 05:13.8
2. Sam Hiltenbrand 05:16.4
3. Max Donaldson 05:18.3
4. Tristan Sayre 05:29.8

1500 M Run - High School
1. Peter Noon 04:37.6
2. Seth Stout 04:51.0
3. Sam Kendall 04:53.1
4. Riley Troyer 04:58.8
5. Mikko Sayre 05:01.6
6. Seth Kane 05:43.0

3000 M Run - High School
1. Andrew Bishop 10:10.9
2. Brandon Kowalski 10:13.9
3. Ian Patrick 10:17.0

Long Jump - Men
1. Sam Carney-Braveman 12 ft. 1-1/4 in.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Solution to the "Classic" Daniels Tempo Run

We'll see how resourceful these guys are.

On Wednesday I went to the West Valley track and attempted my first quantitative workout of the year. I wanted run a tempo effort with a precise track. It was not hot, but 70 degrees is the warmest I've run in since early last September.

Here's the problem: I ran a classic Daniels tempo run and did 5.2 (it was actually about 5.18) km. The effort would score a 77.7% on a WAVA table/calculator. What was the pace, and what is a good predicted pace for an upcoming 5K (TBD in early June)?

Solution (forget WAVA):
1) What is a classic Daniels tempo?
Google search comes up with kemibe's Running Times article from 1999. http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=5615

He doesn't exactly label it as classic, but straight from physiologist/coach Jack Daniels' book The Daniels' Running Formula: "A tempo run is nothing more than 20 minutes of steady running a threshold pace."

2) Figure out the pace.
I ran approximately 5,180 meters in 20 minutes. That's 4.317 meters/second, which is 6:13 per mile.

3) What is a reasonable goal for the 5K?
Just look up a Daniels calculator at and plug in the numbers. Or reverse the rule of thumb for tempo runs, "about 25 to 30 seconds slower than 5K pace (kemibe 1999)"

So 5:43 to 5:48 pace or 17:45 to 18:00 pace.

The WAVA is just a confounder.

Anyway, I have no base to go with and a general lack of speed. Running is getting more comfortable, but I'm four to six weeks away from feeling strong. So probably not enough time for a blazing time at Midnight Sun Run. In my head I still think 34s, my body says otherwise.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Mwuahhhaaaaahhahaa! Be afraid!

Holy smokes, I saw last month Vernon Campbell of Anchorage ran a sick 16:35 5K. That shatters my 17:01 from last year at the Menard Run, which I won't be doing this weekend. I'd like to have the chance to go foot to foot with him/as long as I'm in shape and he isn't--yar just kidding. Plus Barney Griffith, and John Clark, also 50. I've been to three Anchorage running races, all state championships, but they haven't shown at the same time. But this year, I don't know if I'd have much fight, and they're all really good runners.

It would be even more fun to team up with those blokes, although they probably wouldn't stoop to taking on some Fairbanks trash, and go down to USATF XC team championships!

Chena River Run went as well/better than expected considering 5 weeks of running, with an April average of 25 miles/week. Even though I told myself not to go out too fast it was hard to hold back and I ran that first mile almost as fast as when I'm fit. Training from November through April was at about 40% of normal for that period. I really tied up over the last mile, but 18:05 and an age group win was a solid return.

Last weekend I ran the Murphy Dome Roam, but as a workout. Yeah yeah, we've all heard that one before.

The 11 mile circuit, 10 on dirt roads, starts at about 550 ft, climbs to over 1800. I took the long way up the hill (clockwise), instead of the short 2.5 mile climb with a long gradual downhill (counterclockwise). I ran the first 3 miles (400 ft climbing) pretty easy at about 8:00 pace, before picking it up. The goal was a 30 to 35 min tempo effort to Murphy Dome Road, just the 8 mile point. I averaged about 7:10 pace and kept my heart rate going for the duration. That was a tough run--a sustained hill climb--and I was exhausted for the rest of the day.

Kind of fun going the opposite direction of everyone else and cheering on as many as I could. Finished by 'jogging' down Murphy Dome Road, on 8% to 10% slope, at about 7 min pace. Finish 1:22:40, about 7:30 pace.

The Dome Roam usually draws most of the better Fairbanks runners, and the field was semi-loaded this year with Saari, Eversman, Brinegar, and Kramer in the mix plus several UAF runners. Jane Leblond set a new women's record, with a 1:16. Look for her to run a 2:55 or faster marathon this year.

One of these days I'm going to race the entire distance. Not that'll scare anyone! My racing is not much to be afraid of anymore, if it ever was. 41 miles for the week. Build up continues. 

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Chena River Run - Age Graded Leaders

Okay, for all Flint Hills Series races this season I will rank the top masters age graded performances using the World Masters Association age graded calculator: http://www.howardgrubb.co.uk/athletics/wmalookup06.html

Here are the results from the 2010 Chena River Run (click on image to see enlarged view):