the välimäki experience

To Shorten My Pain

Administrator — Sun, 13 May 2012 06:51:48 +0000

As a sort of lesson from today’s race I reminded myself the most important thing in doing the uphills is to win them mentally over. Next up is Bay to Breakers, which has one significant climb. I’m planning to face the uphill Marco Pantani style so there won’t be any speculation afterwards.

Marco, perché vai così forte in salita?
– Per abbreviare la mia agonia.

Pantani kicking the all-time record in 1997 Alpe d’Huez.

Los Altos Hills Pathways 10K in 38.19

Administrator — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Back in Bay Area tried a local race in the morning. It was a really hard course with tons of steep up and downhills under punishing sunshine. As a prep had yesterday some 15 hours of flights and several more on a stopover. Still, the race went quite ok. Matthew Tompkins my old nemesis pulled away in the final uphill. One of his students had left us already a mile before so I ended up in the third place… In my normal form I should’ve carried the uphills home but today I did not. Maybe it was the flights, maybe I wasn’t just mentally tough. I ran one curve in a downhill wide and dropped my glasses after which the young guy left us, and just before the final stretch was taken to the side by one 5K lad I couldn’t pass…

Running Shoe Weight and Performance

Administrator — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:41:33 +0000

Did last Wed a 8K workout with Vane on Inva. Not that great, just modest 3.45/km pace. Was too close to lunch.

Anyway, after the run talked about shoe weights and how that affects your result. Vane was convinced 50g translates to approximately 1 second per km. Inspired from his tables here’s my gear as of today. All shoes are European size 42, US 8.5:

Shoe	Weight	Notes
Adizero CS	234g	The winner. I’ve run probably the best races with these. Unfortunately they don’t do these any more… According to forums the replacement is Adizero Adios.
Adizero ?	252g	Lacks cushion and form. For max 10K. Probably the model is Adizero RC, which they don’t make any more either. In the current lineup this would be Adizero Pro.
Adizero Boston	267g	My default choice for races and fast training. Especially good for trail runs. Have one unused pair left.
Mizono Wave Elixir 6	278g	Goettelmann sold these to me. Pretty good for trail training, but not the best racers.
Adidas Response Cushion 19	293g	I’ve done most of my marathons with these or the previous version, including 2007 Chicago and 2010 Boston. Heavier than I thought.
Mizuno Wave Inspire 8	304g	My latest grab from Goettelmann. Good for even asphalt runs. Again, the weight came as a surprise.

Does this mean I could have run e.g. Boston almost 2 mins faster with Adizero CS’es? Hard to believe. The longer the distance gets the more it also matters the shoe keeps on rolling and supports your form when your muscles start to fade. For example one reason I had hard times at Helsinki City Marathon in 2010 was too lightweight shoes (Nike Zoom Marathon) without appropriate support.

Spring comes to Finland

Administrator — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:35:50 +0000

Short trip to Finland ongoing. Been running pretty good. Early mornings 10K around Lauttasaari. Yesterday night tried Munkinpuisto 2 miles. It was great weather: clear skies, maybe +15 and no wind to speak of. Went alone in 10.36, which is just a modest 1 second improvement over a year ago but it didn’t feel too hard. No idea of the split times. I should have better speed in the sleeve.

2 x Cooper at Foothill

Administrator — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:23:04 +0000

Back in the great Bay Area outdoors. Tonight 2 x 12 mins 3560m and 3550m the other way around at Foothill College’s track after dark. Maybe 5 mins in between or a bit less. Quite ok on wet track although a bit short of the target. I have both endurance and strength from the long runs over the hills but it shows that speed work is missing… I also kinda still feel jet lagged from the latest Asian trip.

Running in Asia

Administrator — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:29:05 +0000

On Tokyo stopover number two for the day. Delta turned back in the middle of Pacific after some A/C problems and canceled the flight for the day. I’m writing this from one of the Narita airport hotels …

Talking about Tokyo I had finally this week a hotel where I could try the most famous running locations. Previously been hitting the ground around a stadium near Shinyokohama or the concrete jungle in Shinagawa (can’t really run there) but this time around I was next to Chiyoda. First morning hit the road at 6 AM to run around the Imperial Palace. Did three laps in 1.01 total with last lap in sub 20 mins. Second morning even earlier went the other direction around the stadiums and Yoyogi park. Frustrating that the parks are closed. This ended up also as an over an hour long run.

Running in Tokyo is not the best in the world but the good news is that you can do it. Compare that to Beijing, Seoul, Shenzhen and Taipei where the only option I have opted for is treadmill. Reasons are rampant, definitely unhealthy air pollution and — especially in China — dangerously crazy traffic. Unfortunately I’m not a treadmill guy. I just can’t mentally do it. I probably did personal best in one shabby Shenzhen hotel during this trip clocking in 25 minutes of continuous belt hitting. Other attemps were between 12 and 15 minutes.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Administrator — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:43:59 +0000

Writing this on a stopover in Tokyo. I was here earlier this week a few days and took the following two pics from my hotel room that could be titled “Shades of Blade Runner”

Only Tyrell Corp’s pyramid is missing from the skyline

This was at the end of my bed. Had it been an unicorn…

Marin County Half in 1.16.00

Administrator — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:46:00 +0000

Ran Saturday morning Marin County Half, which ended up being a very competitive race against two other guys. First five miles on the road and the rest on trails where we got the gaps. Total climb 1500 feet which is like 450 meters. Taking into account the narrow trails and climb I’m really happy with the time. It was great weather, great scenery along China Camp area in San Rafael.

Highs and lows — tempo on track

Administrator — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:02:36 +0000

Just two nights ago ran a great 3600m training cooper on Los Altos High track. It was in the morning, a bit windy but sunny. Tried 1000m test as a follow-up but burned in the last lap and finished with 3.05.

Today stopped by at Foothill College’s track on the way home and was going towards 3500m but stopped running at 9 mins mark as I couldn’t maintain the speed.

Such a difference. I’d certainly need to do two times 3600m twelve minute tempos in a row before getting to Bay to Breakers starting line … which is waiting just some six weeks ahead from now.

Somewhere Near Fremont Older

Administrator — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:07:28 +0000

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Drove yesterday to Fremont Older. First time in this Open Space Preserve and it was right away a memorable run. It was pretty muddy after several days of rain. Saw the first snake of the season near Hunter’s point. Then jogged Coyote Ridge Trail to Steven’s Creek County Park and Reservoir — I had first checked parking there and after finding out it costs $6 all over and the rangers drive their pick-ups back and forth the empty parking lots thought that’s not for me.

Okay, my idea was to get back to Fremont Older and Prospect Rd’s parking lot from the west end. But I didn’t have the map with me… ended up on Steven’s Canyon Road without finding the path back up. So I continued on Mt. Eden road running faster and faster because I was getting late … I didn’t find or know of any shortcuts and ended getting all the way through Pierce Rd to Saratoga — Sunnyvale Rd and from there back up to Prospect Rd parking. Looking at the map now I must have run like 7-8 miles extra there. An easy 1hr run thus became a major 1.45 race prep… At least now I have a better idea of the area including the archery range and many wineries.