tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957Mon, 02 Sep 2024 01:02:19 +0000runningtraininglessonsmarathonresultsgapslinks50KBig SurOhlonebarefootblogsmythologyorthoticsprrecoveryRace & Training log and compilation of thoughts and lessons learned from running, trail running, racing and Sport in general.http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)Blogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-5199305793030492316Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:18:00 +00002011-02-07T11:45:56.367-08:00barefootrunningLike many of you out there I read "Born to Run" last year and my curiosity led me to Zombie Runner in Palo Alto to buy the FiveFingers Bikila. My sporadic training made transitioning to low-profile shoes relatively easy and I've run almost exclusively in them for the last six months. I have to say that running closer to barefoot has been a revelation. The three people who read my orthotics post http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2011/02/2011-2-5-back-in-saddle.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-8745783887284680730Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:19:00 +00002008-07-21T15:48:39.164-07:00Almost three months have passed since my last post and so much has happened since then but almost nothing related to training or racing. So what have I been up to? 1. Sold our old house in Santa Clara and bought a new house in Sunnyvale about 7 miles away but closer to the hills.2. Took a new job at the same company with lots more responsibility.3. My wife and I had a baby (our second).Any one ofhttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/07/3-months-later.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-8148073791498046573Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:57:00 +00002008-04-23T10:13:45.039-07:00OhloneWill G. and Ryan C. were kind enough to give me an introduction to the first 20 miles of the Ohlone course on Saturday morning. I'd read and heard stories about Ohlone but I'd never set foot on that set of trails. So Saturday morning I found myself milling about in front of the Mission Peak gate waiting for Mr. Ryan Commons to roll up.He sauntered up the hill ready to go and we set off. Will was http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/04/climbing-into-back-of-beyond.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-7678292282201353400Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:22:00 +00002008-04-15T10:26:01.161-07:00I've seen it happen to other bloggers but I never thought it could happen to me. Was I naive to think I was immune? Did I think I could avoid it forever? I've been tagged courtesy of Trail Blog Patriarch Scott D.Before I get started I'd like to request Scott to postpone business travel, time with family, eating and sleeping until he publishes his Diablo 50 race report. Donald has already http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/04/six-word-memoir.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-6863050557261793328Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:15:00 +00002008-04-04T13:34:53.619-07:00I took the day off today to pack the garage (or at least try to make a dent) in preparation for our move next weekend. We did buy a new house in Sunnyvale so we won't be homeless!As I sifted through old boxes I came upon an old training diary from my Freshman year in college. I was a walk-on to the team and to make matters worse I was a little soft after spending the previous summer in Europe http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/04/blast-from-past.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-2002567878176529967Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:36:00 +00002008-03-26T23:21:50.873-07:00My wife is out of town on business and I'm struggling. Struggling to keep the house together. Struggling to get out the door with my daughter in the morning. Struggling to find time to run.There is no balance between work, family and running. There's only compromise. My wife and daughter do without me as I disappear to races. They compromise. If I don't race to the edge of my ability the worst http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/03/keeping-faith.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-7429474529388094205Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:16:00 +00002008-03-04T09:51:56.099-08:00A few days after a race I like to use 20/20 hindsight to capture the pearls of wisdom that racing provides. It is a little more proactive than my usual tactic of either wallowing in self-pity or celebrating a good race with a few too many calories.By the way - in fifteen minutes I'm off to Pot Sticker King for some of those calories! But not before grabbing a pearl or two.SummaryThe target pace Ihttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/03/pctr-skyline-ridge-50k-race-report-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-3569097853947695683Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:51:00 +00002008-03-04T15:22:39.305-08:00Pre-RaceI'm always up early the morning before a race. I thought I would do something a little more constructive than sitting in the car reading the newspaper so I drove to the vista point off of Skyline Blvd. at the base of Borel Hill just before 6:30 AM. I jogged up the hill with my camera and tripod hoping to take some pre-dawn shots of the bay. After a few hundred meters I realized the sky http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/03/pctr-skyline-ridge-50k-race-report.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-2871164185483968691Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:42:00 +00002008-02-27T10:42:55.267-08:00I lived in San Francisco for two years after college and absolutely loved running in the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Crissy Field and Marin Headlands. Last week I drove to San Francisco for an all-day meeting and made sure to leave early enough to get a run in. I parked at Crissy Field and as always I marvelled at the spectacular view.The run was pleasant. I wound through the Presidio onto new http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/san-francisco.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-39389603966716846Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:00:00 +00002008-02-27T10:01:50.672-08:00This is what a snowstorm looks like after a day of cross-country skiing and two beers.The snow was absolutely dumping Saturday and Sunday and the snow temp was perfect for snowball fights. It was next to impossible to walk through the village without passing through a pitched battle between friends or family members. I had to use my daughter's sled as a shield on more than one occassion.Deep snowhttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/northstar-last-weekend.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-6263608682186578191Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:50:00 +00002008-02-26T15:39:02.491-08:00Uli Steidl publishes his training log online. It makes for interesting reading.http://home.myuw.net/usteidl/uli_training_2007.xlsIncludes details of his 2007 North Face Challenge victorieshttp://home.myuw.net/usteidl/uli_training_2008.xlsWhat I find remarkable is that his training runs are seldom longer than 24 miles and yet he can blitz a 50 miler with 13,000 feet of climbling as in Seattle. Thehttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/ulis-training-log.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-5883208137866817320Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:46:00 +00002008-02-24T22:51:19.337-08:00Thanks to Wendell some of my photos from last years race made it onto the PCTR Santa Monica Fall race page.I pulled a Scott D. for the photo of the women running. They thought the idea of me running backwards to take their photo was hilarious. http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/santa-monica-photos-from-2006.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-3437211933869019042Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:16:00 +00002008-02-22T09:27:21.712-08:00Mileage - not exactly.Quality - one great workout -8 x 1/2 mile hilly repeats.Summary - fighting off a cold.Chance of redemption: I get to x-country ski tomorrow to my heart's content while my daughter takes a ski lesson and my wife snow-shoes. I might be able to fit in 3 hours of skiing! I'll bring the camera and take a few photos on during what I hope will be 20 miles of skiing. So stay tuned!http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/week-in-review-217-223.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-6507074706875207820Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:22:00 +00002008-02-21T17:10:20.943-08:00mythologytrainingReceiving information about another runner's training can be a double-edged sword. It can provide helpful insights into their success and at the same time potentially send you down a destructive path.Take high mileage for example. Learning that one runner benefits from 100 mile weeks might make another runner, like me, eager to work up to that type of weekly distance. Anecdotal evidence certainlyhttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/runners-mythology-part-1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-7664622918052834523Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:47:00 +00002008-02-11T11:32:51.409-08:00On the slate for Saturday morning (2/9/08) was a trip up to scout out the Skyline Ridge 50K course. The race is three weeks away and I was very curious to see the course that Chikara Omine blitzed to a 3:55 course record. I was first in the parking lot at Skyline Ridge OSP. There were long shadows as the sun crested the hill. The first part of the 23K section heads south and dodges in and out of http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/scouting-skyline-ridge-50k-course.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-4504047250028062589Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:12:00 +00002008-02-06T09:36:13.392-08:00The previous post prompted the following comments (thankfully sent in email and not published on this site...until now) from (so called) friends:"Who wants to read about you winning? I want pics of pole vaulters. Where are your priorities man?" In reference to Scott's photo of me climbing out of Huddart park, "You look like a 70 year old man!"In reference to the photo of me standing next to Scotthttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/additional-comments-on-pctr-woodside.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-5096131354436281160Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:31:00 +00002008-02-04T00:56:31.559-08:00"Did you ask daddy how his race went?""Daddy, how was your race?""I won."Her eyes go wide. "You won?" Long pause."You really won?""Yes. I was as surprised as you are." I had three goals for Saturday's Woodside 50K, run a personal best, stay with the leaders until the climb out of Wunderlich park, and run to win or at least leave it all out on the course. In thinking about the Pacifica 50K two http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/02/pctr-woodside-50k-race-report.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-3494832943315659287Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:52:00 +00002008-02-11T13:12:20.140-08:002007 was for me what coaches with a losing record call a building year. I ran five races and performed ator above my expectations in only two. I ran a PR at the 2007 Woodside 50K. I truly enjoyed my first San Francisco Marathon and while I didn't run a PR I ran faster than my goal for that race. My focus was primarily the marathon and my training was designed to support that goal, lots of mileagehttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/01/2008-vs-2007.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-2214811987066460117Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:40:00 +00002008-01-30T16:18:01.273-08:00I'm having a really hard time concentrating on work or anything other than the PCTR Woodside 50K coming up this weekend. Every time I look at the list of race entrants I see another stellar name capable of charging the course to a great time. Bev Anderson-Abbs, Ryan Commons, Will Gotthardt, Scott Dunlap and the course record holder Michael Buchanan are all entered as of today. There might well behttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/01/woodside-50k-entrants.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-7170722577083419489Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:36:00 +00002008-01-28T10:53:23.312-08:00Sunday morning, during a brief respite in our brief rainy season, I ran the PCTR Woodside 35K course as a preview for next Saturday's race. I was greeted by a coyote in the Huddart parking lot and saluted by half a dozen bright yellow banana slugs along the way. I also surprised a squirrell coming into a turn and it jumped straight at me in panic before turning in mid-air to escape. Too much http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/01/pre-race-report.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-718290215399332758Sat, 19 Jan 2008 23:19:00 +00002008-01-28T13:15:28.709-08:00Just finished the PCTR Pacifica 50K a few hours ago. Hats off to Wendell and Sara for yet another spectacular race. They should teach courses on putting on races. They are that good.The course was a challenging set of loops. We started with the 20K and 30K racers and that helped to push a strong early pace. Ryan Commons (50K ) and Will Gotthardt (50K) set the pace for the first three miles and http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/01/pacifica-50k-race-report.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-2514779785429893708Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:15:00 +00002008-01-07T13:35:15.382-08:0012-30-07Point Reyes is a gorgeous place to run. The terrain is varied. There are countless trails, many of which are singletrack. We were staying 45 minutes away in Bodega Bay for New Years and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do my long run in this beautiful national seashore.I started at the Bear Valley trailhead and headed south on the Rift Trail. The trail was slick and muddy from recenthttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/01/30-mile-trail-run-at-point-reyes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-8831379551265775970Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:20:00 +00002008-01-15T10:50:25.712-08:00Time to post the 2008 race calendar.Definite:PCTR Pacifica 50K 1/19PCTR Woodside 50K 2/2Big Sur Marathon 4/27SF Marathon 8/3Most likely:PCTR Ultramarathon Series - I'd like to see how I well I can do in this series. There always seems to be a battle for first place in the PCTR runs but the gap between first and eighth place is often 45-60 minutes. I'm hoping consistent placings will help my placehttp://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2008/01/2008-year-to-remember.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-230499745651656632Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:00:00 +00002008-01-07T12:14:33.379-08:00I just ran the California International Marathon this morning. Looking back the day has had two highlights; the hot bath after the race and coming home to see my daughter. The race was one I would sooner forget.Pre-race activities went well although I skipped a warmup for one last trip to the bathroom. I started the race very relaxed and felt smooth as I went through the first three miles in 19:http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2007/12/lot-to-talk-about.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2302962698242053957.post-2046931200534105314Wed, 05 Sep 2007 22:31:00 +00002007-09-06T14:00:01.638-07:00I really struggled and ultimately failed to accomplish the purpose of the workout for Tuesday 9/4/07. 4:18 pace was beyond my reach on Tuesday. Any way you look at it, heart rate or pace, I wasn't anywhere near "I" pace. Well, live and learn!Two things I could improve on: Sleep and Recovery. I didn't sleep much over the weekend while we were in San Diego and I believe that hindered my recovery http://tc-on-pace.blogspot.com/2007/09/tuesdays-workout.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (T Clarke)0