Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Peachtree Road Race Update


The Atlanta Track Club has changed the amount of time they are giving Time Group 1B from 4:30 to 5:00. So now my official finish time for the Peachtree Road Race will be 55:58 not 56:28.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Mostly Peachtree


Wow, time sure does fly. It has been a month since I put an entry into my blog. 

Well, I have been sticking with Roy Benson's PC Coach program and had a much easier Peachtree Road Race this year. I ran a minute faster than last year at a much easier effort. I guess that the structured training paid off. I am not saying that I ran a fast time, but age adjusted it is respectable. 

I was in Time Group 1B this year and the Track Club messed up and pulled the timing chip pad up at the start before 1B started. There were a lot of people upset when we didn't get an official chip time. If you don't know what I am talking about, I'll try to explain it. All of the Time Groups at the front of the race are issued a Champion Chip. The chip activates when you run across a pad that is laid across the road at the starting line and the finish line. The pads at the start and finish are attached to a computer and log your start and finish time. When the Track Club removed the pad at the start line no one in the time group got a start time. We did get a finish time, but it was total time. With a chip time your time doesn't start until you cross the start line, even if it takes you 5 or so minutes to get to the start line. in a large race like Peachtree (55,000 people) a chip time will tell you exactly how long it took you to finish.

The Track Club is taking 4:30 off of everyone's time in Time Group 1B, not very accurate. My official time will be 56:28 and I know that that is not correct. According to my watch, which I started when I crossed the Start line and stopped when I went across the finish line, I was 17 seconds slower than that, but close enough I guess.

I ran a 56:45 for 10K, but considering that I am 64 years old going on 65, I don't feel to bad about that time. I have never run a fast time in the summer anyway. Back when I was running 39 minute 10K's the best I ever did at Peachtree was a 41. 

I have been riding my bicycle some since Peachtree, with the temp. in the 90's, it is easier to get in a bike ride in the afternoon instead of running in the heat. I am sticking to Roy's program, but if I end up having to workout in the afternoon on a hot day, I ride my bike.