Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Howl at the Moon 8 Hour Ultra
Yesterday, I ran my 2nd ultra in an as many months, in prep for a 24 hour run that I've got in 5 weeks (with a whole lot of other running friends). It was fun, hard, exhausting, and memorable, all rolled up into one!
What: Howl at the Moon 8 Hour Ultra run in Danville, Illinois, 8/13/11, 7am to 3pm. Ran 41.98 miles (ok, let's just say 42 for arguments sake), and finished 4th out of 53 in my age group.
The Details: The forecast had been calling for a 60 to 80 percent chance of rain all week prior to the race, so I was fully prepared to get a little wet. In fact, I was expecting it, otherwise, I was afraid it was just going to be too hot to do well. Met a couple of running friends the night before, Doug and Neil, I got a good nights sleep and awoke to an empty radar, and very comfortable temps in the mid 50s. Race start temp was 61, eventually climbing to 86 by the end of the race. Not a drop of rain in sight. Yes, the weather forecast was wrong, just about as wrong as could be. Nary a cloud in the sky until 2 pm or so, and it got hot, very quickly through the morning. My friend Neil also ran the race, and did very well also despite the heat! Also got to meet his wife Mary too. Let's just say that running in full sun, through the peak heating of the day, well, to put it mildly, kind of sucks. Enough said.
The course itself was a 3.29 mile loop in Kennekuk County Park near Danville. The course was about 1/2 shade, 1/2 in full sun, on a combo of pasture trail, dirt/rock road, and asphalt. The idea was to complete as many of these loops as you could before 230 pm cutoff, then complete as many 1/2 mile out and backs before the end of the race.
Overall, things went well for me, despite running in the full sun through the heat of the day. I immediately dialed my salt/hydration/nutrition strategy in from the very beginning. I carried a bottle of water and a multi hour bottle of Hammer Perpetuem drink with me to sip on, and topped off the water bottle at each of the 2 aid stations on the course. Because of the heat, every half hour, I took a Succeed salt caplet, and grazed on boiled potatoes, grapes, PB/J sandwich squares, and a small dixie cup of Pepsi at both aid stations. In other words, I ate real food, in bitesize bits, roughly every 15 minutes, the whole way through. And it worked great as far as I can tell.
The miles were ticking off fairly well for me. In fact, I didn't experience any major problems, until about mile 30. By then, the bottoms of my feet were beginning to feel every step, although it wasn't from blisters, the balls of my feet were just taking too much of a beating. I didn't have any major chafing issues, no major cramping, the legs felt good nearly the whole time. Yes, the heat was becoming slightly unbearable toward the end with temps in the mid 80s and no relief and full sun, but I just kept moving. I did a 4:1 ratio from the very beginning (except I walked the major hill no matter what). I've used that ratio in the past, and it works well for me.
I did walk the entire last lap though, only because of logistics. I knew I couldn't complete 2 laps before the cutoff, so since there was no incentive to run it, I just walked the last lap to get ready for the out/back portion of the course. At that point, my legs were starting to hint at wanting to cramp too, and I was getting slightly nauseous from the heat, so the longer walk break was probably a good idea. After a 15 minute period of rest, (had to wait until 230 pm to start the out/back portion of the course), I did five 1/2 mile out and backs, for a grand total of 41.98 miles over 8 hours! Was good enough for 4th place in my age division. My original goal was 40 miles, so I felt proud that I was able to exceed this despite the heat.
I should also mention that I didn't really stop, except for that 15 minute break toward the end. My car was parked about 50 feet from the course, and I had everything set up in my trunk as a drop bag just in case. Change of shoes, socks, clothes, some Hammer Gel, Cliff Bars, Gatorade, etc. But I never needed anything, so didn't stop but once to grab a bandanna on the 2nd loop to keep wiping the sweat off my head. Also ran the race sans iPod. I had it in the car, but decided I didn't want or need it.
After the race, they have a huge party, with free beer, free food (catered by Lees Chicken), and generally a fun time while announcing the awards. It was a nice way to end the race. Can't say enough good things about the organization of the race or the folks that put it on. Awesome all around. They even served margaritas at the aid station on the last lap. How fun!
This is the second time that the bottoms of my feet have become so painful that it would be hard to continue on. It's the balls of my feet, that basically feel like I'm walking on nails with every step. It's not a blister, it's just a deep bruise I think. I had no blisters at all anywhere. By the end of the race, it hurt so bad to walk, I know I couldn't have done any more. And this worries me, since I have that 24 hour race in 5 weeks. Need to figure out what's going on, so I can figure out how to keep going longer. I did put a square of duct tape on the bottom of each foot hoping to prevent the issue, but it really didn't change anything. And I've got 5 weeks to figure it out.
The second thing, I signed up for this 24 hour event, not really knowing what I could and couldn't do, but have been excited to try. Training has been going very well, as I hit 110 miles last week for an All Stars week of a running game I'm in. And really, my body is holding up good (except for the bottom of the feet). I'm just trying to figure out how to convince my mind to keep going. When I was done with this race, the thought of doing this (running) for another 16 hours was enough to almost make me ill. So I've got some mental hurdles that I'll need to figure out how to overcome too.
Me, after the race, feeling proud, and worn out. (note, I was covered with salt). In retrospect, wearing all black on this day was probably a bad choice, ha, but black has become my favorite racing color.
The Swag: A reusable insulated shopping bag (with a zipper, to use for cold foods), a really nice cotton tee-shirt (I chose a long sleeve shirt), the participant medal on the right, and the A/G medal on the left.
The Pace and Elevation Graphs: Pretty darn consistent pace showing the run/walk, until the last lap which I walked completely.
Bottom line, I had a pretty good race, had a great time, got to hang out with some cool folks, and overall had a really fun running weekend. Really, it doesn't get any better than that!!
Thanks for reading.
What: Howl at the Moon 8 Hour Ultra run in Danville, Illinois, 8/13/11, 7am to 3pm. Ran 41.98 miles (ok, let's just say 42 for arguments sake), and finished 4th out of 53 in my age group.
The Details: The forecast had been calling for a 60 to 80 percent chance of rain all week prior to the race, so I was fully prepared to get a little wet. In fact, I was expecting it, otherwise, I was afraid it was just going to be too hot to do well. Met a couple of running friends the night before, Doug and Neil, I got a good nights sleep and awoke to an empty radar, and very comfortable temps in the mid 50s. Race start temp was 61, eventually climbing to 86 by the end of the race. Not a drop of rain in sight. Yes, the weather forecast was wrong, just about as wrong as could be. Nary a cloud in the sky until 2 pm or so, and it got hot, very quickly through the morning. My friend Neil also ran the race, and did very well also despite the heat! Also got to meet his wife Mary too. Let's just say that running in full sun, through the peak heating of the day, well, to put it mildly, kind of sucks. Enough said.
The course itself was a 3.29 mile loop in Kennekuk County Park near Danville. The course was about 1/2 shade, 1/2 in full sun, on a combo of pasture trail, dirt/rock road, and asphalt. The idea was to complete as many of these loops as you could before 230 pm cutoff, then complete as many 1/2 mile out and backs before the end of the race.
Overall, things went well for me, despite running in the full sun through the heat of the day. I immediately dialed my salt/hydration/nutrition strategy in from the very beginning. I carried a bottle of water and a multi hour bottle of Hammer Perpetuem drink with me to sip on, and topped off the water bottle at each of the 2 aid stations on the course. Because of the heat, every half hour, I took a Succeed salt caplet, and grazed on boiled potatoes, grapes, PB/J sandwich squares, and a small dixie cup of Pepsi at both aid stations. In other words, I ate real food, in bitesize bits, roughly every 15 minutes, the whole way through. And it worked great as far as I can tell.
The miles were ticking off fairly well for me. In fact, I didn't experience any major problems, until about mile 30. By then, the bottoms of my feet were beginning to feel every step, although it wasn't from blisters, the balls of my feet were just taking too much of a beating. I didn't have any major chafing issues, no major cramping, the legs felt good nearly the whole time. Yes, the heat was becoming slightly unbearable toward the end with temps in the mid 80s and no relief and full sun, but I just kept moving. I did a 4:1 ratio from the very beginning (except I walked the major hill no matter what). I've used that ratio in the past, and it works well for me.
I did walk the entire last lap though, only because of logistics. I knew I couldn't complete 2 laps before the cutoff, so since there was no incentive to run it, I just walked the last lap to get ready for the out/back portion of the course. At that point, my legs were starting to hint at wanting to cramp too, and I was getting slightly nauseous from the heat, so the longer walk break was probably a good idea. After a 15 minute period of rest, (had to wait until 230 pm to start the out/back portion of the course), I did five 1/2 mile out and backs, for a grand total of 41.98 miles over 8 hours! Was good enough for 4th place in my age division. My original goal was 40 miles, so I felt proud that I was able to exceed this despite the heat.
I should also mention that I didn't really stop, except for that 15 minute break toward the end. My car was parked about 50 feet from the course, and I had everything set up in my trunk as a drop bag just in case. Change of shoes, socks, clothes, some Hammer Gel, Cliff Bars, Gatorade, etc. But I never needed anything, so didn't stop but once to grab a bandanna on the 2nd loop to keep wiping the sweat off my head. Also ran the race sans iPod. I had it in the car, but decided I didn't want or need it.
After the race, they have a huge party, with free beer, free food (catered by Lees Chicken), and generally a fun time while announcing the awards. It was a nice way to end the race. Can't say enough good things about the organization of the race or the folks that put it on. Awesome all around. They even served margaritas at the aid station on the last lap. How fun!
This is the second time that the bottoms of my feet have become so painful that it would be hard to continue on. It's the balls of my feet, that basically feel like I'm walking on nails with every step. It's not a blister, it's just a deep bruise I think. I had no blisters at all anywhere. By the end of the race, it hurt so bad to walk, I know I couldn't have done any more. And this worries me, since I have that 24 hour race in 5 weeks. Need to figure out what's going on, so I can figure out how to keep going longer. I did put a square of duct tape on the bottom of each foot hoping to prevent the issue, but it really didn't change anything. And I've got 5 weeks to figure it out.
The second thing, I signed up for this 24 hour event, not really knowing what I could and couldn't do, but have been excited to try. Training has been going very well, as I hit 110 miles last week for an All Stars week of a running game I'm in. And really, my body is holding up good (except for the bottom of the feet). I'm just trying to figure out how to convince my mind to keep going. When I was done with this race, the thought of doing this (running) for another 16 hours was enough to almost make me ill. So I've got some mental hurdles that I'll need to figure out how to overcome too.
Me, after the race, feeling proud, and worn out. (note, I was covered with salt). In retrospect, wearing all black on this day was probably a bad choice, ha, but black has become my favorite racing color.
The Swag: A reusable insulated shopping bag (with a zipper, to use for cold foods), a really nice cotton tee-shirt (I chose a long sleeve shirt), the participant medal on the right, and the A/G medal on the left.
The Pace and Elevation Graphs: Pretty darn consistent pace showing the run/walk, until the last lap which I walked completely.
Bottom line, I had a pretty good race, had a great time, got to hang out with some cool folks, and overall had a really fun running weekend. Really, it doesn't get any better than that!!
Thanks for reading.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Running Crossroads
Just needed to type some of this stuff out, mainly for my own head. I feel like I'm at a running crossroads in my life, and not sure how to proceed. And I guess I'll probably discover the answer as I go along.
Background: Been running for about 3 years now, and through that time, discovered that I really just love to run. I've never really been passionate about any of the hobbies in my life, until now, so I guess it took 41 years to find it. When I started running, it was actually kind of easy for me. I found that I could do it, I enjoyed it, and the more I ran, the more I "wanted" to run (borrowed from George Sheehan). Running fit me. And yes, I've had a couple of injuries along the way because of my own bullheadness. Sometimes we just have to make the mistakes ourselves to truly learn.
I started off with a half marathon, and then a marathon, and another, and another. I've trained fairly hard, but am definitely an average runner. First half was 1:59, three years ago, and have since gotten to 1:39 last September. First marathon was 4:27, and have since gotten to 3:43 this past January. Got a 46:20 in a 10k this spring. Yeah, average. All of my race times are solidly middle of the pack for my age group, unless it was a very small race in which I got a couple of A/G placements. But for me, it's almost to the point of diminishing returns, I'm not sure I can get better on my own. And I'm OK with that, kind of. Except I want to get better, but the last marathon cycle was pretty tough on me. Do I want to push myself even harder? Should I?
After my last marathon, I decided to switch gears just a bit, and mainly because of the FOMO (fear of missing out) syndrome, I decided to join a bunch of folks and run a 24 hour event this fall in Cleveland, OH. I also thought it would be a good way to try something different, and continue to build a really strong base this year, instead of focusing on speed. Changing it up.
And I've found that I really enjoy doing the long runs. I've done four 50k runs over the last 2 months, and generally speaking, I've done OK. In fact, those 50k runs have been real character builders and I've proven to myself that I'm a lot stronger than I give myself credit for. But, in training for this 24 hour event, I'm definitely losing my speed. Yes, that's by design, because in ultras (esp with a 24 hour event), you have to slow down, you simply can't run them at marathon pace (or at least I can't and stay injury free).
You see, as a kid, I was never an athlete. I simply did not do sports. I tried football as a freshman, but had appendicitis 2 weeks into training, so ended up being the stats and equipment guy that season. I did track my freshman year, but was horrible only because I didn't want to work hard and wanted to goof off. So through the rest of high school, I was simply the stats or equipment guy because it was easier. And it still let me hang around with my buddies. But today, at the prime age of 41, in my mind, I'm almost athlete-like. I'm a runner. And it feels great.
But now I'm having this internal struggle. I don't want to sound like an elitist, because I'm not, but these long 50k runs have not been that hard. And I find that I'm rather enjoying them. But they are slow, only because they have to be. But somehow, deep down, I want speed too, and I want to improve my PRs at the shorter distances of 10k, half, and the marathon. But I can't have both. Can't have cake and eat it too. Or so I've been told.
And finally, my internal struggle leads me to my crossroads. I've got runs booked through the rest of the year. These runs are serving a purpose of helping me run in all 50 states (eventually). Note, I'm not really racing anything left on my schedule this year, just running them for the experience. I'm mainly thinking about goals beyond this year. What fork in the road will my running career take next year? And that my friends, is the question. Speed or distance. Yin and Yang. Apples and Oranges. I've tried both (granted, I'm not as speedy as a lot of you), but I want both. I want to go fast(er), but I also am really enjoying these longer runs. Still not sure about the 24 hour run yet, that might be too long I think, we'll see. Anyhow, how do I balance this out in my head, wanting to go fast(er), but really enjoying doing much, much longer distances. And I feel like that I've really lost my speed that I built up last year. As in, there's no way I could repeat those speeds at my current fitness level. Can I ever get that back?
It's a battle, at least for me, which leads me to this unending novel, which is mainly just a chance for me to vent since I don't have anyone else to talk to about it. Thanks for reading if you made it this far. And that my friends, is my running crossroads.
Background: Been running for about 3 years now, and through that time, discovered that I really just love to run. I've never really been passionate about any of the hobbies in my life, until now, so I guess it took 41 years to find it. When I started running, it was actually kind of easy for me. I found that I could do it, I enjoyed it, and the more I ran, the more I "wanted" to run (borrowed from George Sheehan). Running fit me. And yes, I've had a couple of injuries along the way because of my own bullheadness. Sometimes we just have to make the mistakes ourselves to truly learn.
I started off with a half marathon, and then a marathon, and another, and another. I've trained fairly hard, but am definitely an average runner. First half was 1:59, three years ago, and have since gotten to 1:39 last September. First marathon was 4:27, and have since gotten to 3:43 this past January. Got a 46:20 in a 10k this spring. Yeah, average. All of my race times are solidly middle of the pack for my age group, unless it was a very small race in which I got a couple of A/G placements. But for me, it's almost to the point of diminishing returns, I'm not sure I can get better on my own. And I'm OK with that, kind of. Except I want to get better, but the last marathon cycle was pretty tough on me. Do I want to push myself even harder? Should I?
After my last marathon, I decided to switch gears just a bit, and mainly because of the FOMO (fear of missing out) syndrome, I decided to join a bunch of folks and run a 24 hour event this fall in Cleveland, OH. I also thought it would be a good way to try something different, and continue to build a really strong base this year, instead of focusing on speed. Changing it up.
And I've found that I really enjoy doing the long runs. I've done four 50k runs over the last 2 months, and generally speaking, I've done OK. In fact, those 50k runs have been real character builders and I've proven to myself that I'm a lot stronger than I give myself credit for. But, in training for this 24 hour event, I'm definitely losing my speed. Yes, that's by design, because in ultras (esp with a 24 hour event), you have to slow down, you simply can't run them at marathon pace (or at least I can't and stay injury free).
You see, as a kid, I was never an athlete. I simply did not do sports. I tried football as a freshman, but had appendicitis 2 weeks into training, so ended up being the stats and equipment guy that season. I did track my freshman year, but was horrible only because I didn't want to work hard and wanted to goof off. So through the rest of high school, I was simply the stats or equipment guy because it was easier. And it still let me hang around with my buddies. But today, at the prime age of 41, in my mind, I'm almost athlete-like. I'm a runner. And it feels great.
But now I'm having this internal struggle. I don't want to sound like an elitist, because I'm not, but these long 50k runs have not been that hard. And I find that I'm rather enjoying them. But they are slow, only because they have to be. But somehow, deep down, I want speed too, and I want to improve my PRs at the shorter distances of 10k, half, and the marathon. But I can't have both. Can't have cake and eat it too. Or so I've been told.
And finally, my internal struggle leads me to my crossroads. I've got runs booked through the rest of the year. These runs are serving a purpose of helping me run in all 50 states (eventually). Note, I'm not really racing anything left on my schedule this year, just running them for the experience. I'm mainly thinking about goals beyond this year. What fork in the road will my running career take next year? And that my friends, is the question. Speed or distance. Yin and Yang. Apples and Oranges. I've tried both (granted, I'm not as speedy as a lot of you), but I want both. I want to go fast(er), but I also am really enjoying these longer runs. Still not sure about the 24 hour run yet, that might be too long I think, we'll see. Anyhow, how do I balance this out in my head, wanting to go fast(er), but really enjoying doing much, much longer distances. And I feel like that I've really lost my speed that I built up last year. As in, there's no way I could repeat those speeds at my current fitness level. Can I ever get that back?
It's a battle, at least for me, which leads me to this unending novel, which is mainly just a chance for me to vent since I don't have anyone else to talk to about it. Thanks for reading if you made it this far. And that my friends, is my running crossroads.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Run Toto Run Psyco Psummer 50k
What: Completed my first official 50k race, a very hilly trail 50k in Kansas City, KS around Wyandotte Lake. Finished in 7:33:17, 35 out of 49 men.
Why: I'm still asking myself that question. Yes, I'm a runner, but I run primarily on roads and easy trails. I'm currently training for ultras, including a 24 hour race this fall. This seemed like a good way to get some miles while doing something new and different at the same time. Plus, peer pressure still works even though I'm 41 years old. :)
How: I'm not exactly sure of that either, other than I've been working hard and have come a long way in my running ability. This was the hardest, hilliest, longest race I've ever done. But I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, over and over, rinse, lather repeat. And running with a good friend for 21 of the 31.1 miles really helped. Thank you friend for 1) encouraging me to sign up, and 2) not allowing me to stop.
The Nitty Gritty: I'm not a trail runner, remember? I run roads, and flat rail or bike trails. This was a hilly mofo race, rated level 4 for terrain, and level 5 for surface, with roughly 3200' of both elevation descent and gain over 31.1 miles (50k). I honestly (and rightly so) doubted my ability to complete this race, given my lack of trail and hill experience, although I have run shorter trails that were similar. I did complete two 50k training runs prior to this, so I felt very prepared for the distance, just not the technicality of the hills or the terrain. There was about 3 miles of mud per 10 mile loop, a crapton of rocks, and roots, and about 5 miles of really sweet, fun, runnable trail. The race didn't start until 8 am, so running through the heat through 330 pm was a challenge, but we were in the woods 98% of the time, and it really wasn't that bad.
My body held up very well, I did stub my foot hard enough around mile 27 to bring tears to my eyes, (I'll lose at least 1, maybe 2 toenails because of it), and the bottom of my feet were basically hamburger when I was finished. I will say, this was the hardest race I've ever done. To put this race in perspective, I ran a flat 50k training run a few weeks ago on a rail trail in 5:13, so this race took another 2 hours and 20 minutes. Yeah, it was that hard (for me).
Overall, this was a significant challenge (given my lack of hill and trail experience), but something that was a ton of fun, all wrapped up into one. I would be cursing the rocks with very loud expletives at one moment, being upset and slipping in the mud and almost getting my shoe sucked off the next, then be smiling at how much fun I was having just around the bend with a decent running pace. A real roller coaster of emotions.
The race: Can't say enough good things about the Kansas City Trail Nerds who put this race on. Very accommodating, and the aid stations (6 total per 10 mile loop) were awesome. Having ice in your water and sport drink when it's about 90 outside was incredible and kept me going. And the kinds and types of foods was awesome. Chocolate muffins, potato chips, glasses of Coke, watermelon, bananas, gummy bears, PB/J and Nutella tortillas, ahh, the food of ultra running. And I ate it all, as much as I could take.
The Friends: I got to run the first 2 laps with a good running friend for 21 miles or so, but she very smartly decided to not do a 3rd lap due cramping and light headedness. Thank you again for all your support though! And thank you for continuing to be a great running motivator to go beyond your abilities, and thanks for being a good running friend. And got to meet another local KC runner who I'm friends with. He stayed throughout the day, even well beyond the end of his 10 mile race, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Very cool! He also took some great pictures. Really appreciate it!!
The recovery: Even though the bottom of my feet are in bad shape (just bruised from all the rock pounding, no blisters thankfully), the rest of my body feels pretty good the day after. I was able to run 9 recovery miles this morning after the race and I don't have any injuries, other than a little bit of chaffing hither and yon (completely normal), and a bug bite on my ankle that I can't seem to pin down exactly what it is yet. Need to watch that one closely. I did slip and fall in the deep mud about mile 17, and thought I hurt my arm pretty badly, but that pain went away after a few miles. Otherwise, no major ill effects.
Bottom line: I'm not a fast trail runner, and an average road runner. Trails and hills are not my thing (yet). My performance was well beyond the middle of the pack for this race. Big deal. I'll keep trying, keep moving forward, will work harder, and will continue to set new goals for myself, and will keep reaching further than what I thought I could do before. Better than I was, but not as good as I'll be, that's my motto. It's my first official 50k finish, I'll take it, no matter what the result. It was an experience of a lifetime, priceless memories were made, I proved to myself I'm tougher than I give myself credit for, and that's what it's all about.
A couple of photos:
I don't know when this was taken, although it's within the first 10 mile loop somewhere. (note the feet caked with mud though).
End of 20 miles. Soaked through to the skin. But feeling good, and actually started the third loop really strong.
Immediately after finishing. (Thanks Eric for the picture!) I know you can't see it, but the medal has a tornado on it. Since I'm a weather guy, I just had to have this medal (OK, the real reason I ran the race). It's all about the bling, right? :)
Pace and elevation charts: There was a lot of runnable section, which shows well in the pace graph I think. I was actually really pleased with the speed at which I could run, when I ran. That running pace seemed fairly consistent all the way to the end.
Lap 1: 2:17:36.0
Lap 2: 2:37:38.9
Lap 3: 2:38:02.3
Total Time: 7:33:17.3
Overall, this was a fun, but hard race. Given my lack of trail experience, I'd say I did OK. I finished. And I gained valuable experience if I'd ever attempt something like this again.
Why: I'm still asking myself that question. Yes, I'm a runner, but I run primarily on roads and easy trails. I'm currently training for ultras, including a 24 hour race this fall. This seemed like a good way to get some miles while doing something new and different at the same time. Plus, peer pressure still works even though I'm 41 years old. :)
How: I'm not exactly sure of that either, other than I've been working hard and have come a long way in my running ability. This was the hardest, hilliest, longest race I've ever done. But I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, over and over, rinse, lather repeat. And running with a good friend for 21 of the 31.1 miles really helped. Thank you friend for 1) encouraging me to sign up, and 2) not allowing me to stop.
The Nitty Gritty: I'm not a trail runner, remember? I run roads, and flat rail or bike trails. This was a hilly mofo race, rated level 4 for terrain, and level 5 for surface, with roughly 3200' of both elevation descent and gain over 31.1 miles (50k). I honestly (and rightly so) doubted my ability to complete this race, given my lack of trail and hill experience, although I have run shorter trails that were similar. I did complete two 50k training runs prior to this, so I felt very prepared for the distance, just not the technicality of the hills or the terrain. There was about 3 miles of mud per 10 mile loop, a crapton of rocks, and roots, and about 5 miles of really sweet, fun, runnable trail. The race didn't start until 8 am, so running through the heat through 330 pm was a challenge, but we were in the woods 98% of the time, and it really wasn't that bad.
My body held up very well, I did stub my foot hard enough around mile 27 to bring tears to my eyes, (I'll lose at least 1, maybe 2 toenails because of it), and the bottom of my feet were basically hamburger when I was finished. I will say, this was the hardest race I've ever done. To put this race in perspective, I ran a flat 50k training run a few weeks ago on a rail trail in 5:13, so this race took another 2 hours and 20 minutes. Yeah, it was that hard (for me).
Overall, this was a significant challenge (given my lack of hill and trail experience), but something that was a ton of fun, all wrapped up into one. I would be cursing the rocks with very loud expletives at one moment, being upset and slipping in the mud and almost getting my shoe sucked off the next, then be smiling at how much fun I was having just around the bend with a decent running pace. A real roller coaster of emotions.
The race: Can't say enough good things about the Kansas City Trail Nerds who put this race on. Very accommodating, and the aid stations (6 total per 10 mile loop) were awesome. Having ice in your water and sport drink when it's about 90 outside was incredible and kept me going. And the kinds and types of foods was awesome. Chocolate muffins, potato chips, glasses of Coke, watermelon, bananas, gummy bears, PB/J and Nutella tortillas, ahh, the food of ultra running. And I ate it all, as much as I could take.
The Friends: I got to run the first 2 laps with a good running friend for 21 miles or so, but she very smartly decided to not do a 3rd lap due cramping and light headedness. Thank you again for all your support though! And thank you for continuing to be a great running motivator to go beyond your abilities, and thanks for being a good running friend. And got to meet another local KC runner who I'm friends with. He stayed throughout the day, even well beyond the end of his 10 mile race, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Very cool! He also took some great pictures. Really appreciate it!!
The recovery: Even though the bottom of my feet are in bad shape (just bruised from all the rock pounding, no blisters thankfully), the rest of my body feels pretty good the day after. I was able to run 9 recovery miles this morning after the race and I don't have any injuries, other than a little bit of chaffing hither and yon (completely normal), and a bug bite on my ankle that I can't seem to pin down exactly what it is yet. Need to watch that one closely. I did slip and fall in the deep mud about mile 17, and thought I hurt my arm pretty badly, but that pain went away after a few miles. Otherwise, no major ill effects.
Bottom line: I'm not a fast trail runner, and an average road runner. Trails and hills are not my thing (yet). My performance was well beyond the middle of the pack for this race. Big deal. I'll keep trying, keep moving forward, will work harder, and will continue to set new goals for myself, and will keep reaching further than what I thought I could do before. Better than I was, but not as good as I'll be, that's my motto. It's my first official 50k finish, I'll take it, no matter what the result. It was an experience of a lifetime, priceless memories were made, I proved to myself I'm tougher than I give myself credit for, and that's what it's all about.
A couple of photos:
I don't know when this was taken, although it's within the first 10 mile loop somewhere. (note the feet caked with mud though).
End of 20 miles. Soaked through to the skin. But feeling good, and actually started the third loop really strong.
Immediately after finishing. (Thanks Eric for the picture!) I know you can't see it, but the medal has a tornado on it. Since I'm a weather guy, I just had to have this medal (OK, the real reason I ran the race). It's all about the bling, right? :)
Pace and elevation charts: There was a lot of runnable section, which shows well in the pace graph I think. I was actually really pleased with the speed at which I could run, when I ran. That running pace seemed fairly consistent all the way to the end.
Lap 1: 2:17:36.0
Lap 2: 2:37:38.9
Lap 3: 2:38:02.3
Total Time: 7:33:17.3
Overall, this was a fun, but hard race. Given my lack of trail experience, I'd say I did OK. I finished. And I gained valuable experience if I'd ever attempt something like this again.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
A Marapalooza Birthday Weekend - 40 hours - 3 RRs - 4 Medals
Quick Version: Decided to celebrate my 41st birthday this year by running my age in miles over a weekend. So, I ran the Fargo 5k on my birthday on 5/20 in 26:55, The Fargo marathon on 5/21 in 4:11:19, and the Gambler Half Marathon on 5/22 in 1:59:53. 42.4 running miles, 40 clock hours, 1100 road miles, 3 races, 4 medals. Didn't race any one of them, as these times are way off my PRs, but just ran them with some good friends as a way to celebrate my birthday. Priceless!
The much longer version with all the details: Headed to Fargo on Friday with a couple of running friends, Laci and Karina. Enjoyed a pleasant 7 1/2 hour drive to the nice town of Fargo, ND, a new state for me. We stopped about every hour to stretch our legs and eat and drink. And we laughed a lot! Since I'm a meteorologist, I was fairly obsessed with the weather leading up to the race, and feared that they all might be thundered out. It rained half the way the way to Fargo, fairly certain the 5k race would be wet.
The First Race 5/20 - 5k - 26:55 - Met up with with a couple of other running friends before the race, and prepared to run, in the rain. It sprinkled as the National Anthem was sung, and then it stopped. Dry for the race, Yay, we got lucky. The race was really fun, just running, not racing, earned my medal, and enjoyed an awesome birthday dinner at a local Italian restaurant, even getting surprised with a free birthday dessert since Laci and Karina had whispered to the waitress. Thanks guys!
The Second Race - 5/21 - Marathon - 4:11:19 - It rained all night long, and again, was worried that the race would have been postponed because of thunder and lightning. The rain stopped about 30 minutes before the race, so again, we got lucky! Yay. Don't have a lot of details to say, other than it was a ton of fun! Laci and I ran together, and Karina lined up a few minutes behind us. We ran the first 2 miles, then did a 4:1 ratio for the rest of the race. Yes, we Gallowalked it. Big deal! Really, I'm training for a 24 hour event, and this crazy weekend was meant mostly as a training run for me. But we were passing people left and right, and continued to do so all the way to the end. In other words, Gallowalking works. Started to get a bad blister on the ball of my foot about about mile 15 though. After that, it got progressively worse. The last 5 miles it felt like I was stepping on a nail with every step. I was also worried that I was going to cramp really badly as I could feel it coming on. Even though I was in quite a bit of pain, we still managed to laugh a lot. Thank you Laci for making the race so fun. I kind of kept pace through the race, and Laci kept track of the 4:1, always letting us know when it was time to walk, or run/shuffle. Teamwork. I did cramp pretty bad, immediately as I crossed the finish line, so that was great timing. Also got a special medal for doing both the 5k and marathon. High quality medals, really classy. I can't recommend Fargo enough, a great overall event! Karina did have trouble in the race though, and after running 15 miles, decided to pull out. We were disappointed that her knee was really hurting badly, but it was a super smart decision on her part to not push it, to save her legs for the next one! After scoring a free lunch at Famous Daves (they took forever to deliver our food), the 7 1/2 hour car ride home was just as fun, all laughing, occasionally napping, stopping every hour to eat and stretch, and overall a breeze.
The Third Race - 5/22 - Half Marathon - 1:59:53 - After about 6 hours sleep, I got up to do it all over again, but only a half today. I duct taped the half dollar sized blister on the bottom of my foot and headed to the race. Since Laci had a much longer drive than me, I said I'd pick up her bib for her, and meet her immediately before the race started. Except we couldn't find each other. She was having me paged over the PA system, but I couldn't hear it. The race started, and I still had her race bib in my hands. Oops. I started anyhow, DFL, carrying her bib, hoping she'd be at the back looking for me. No luck. So, I ran the race with the intent of catching her to giver her the bib. Actually, everything felt really loose today, despite having run a marathon yesterday. That Gallowalking really does work, so I used the same strategy today, using 9:1 ratio instead of the 4:1 that I used yesterday. The race was on a really nice course, mix of streets, bike path, urban, and rural, and overall, a really fun morning and great race. Never did catch Laci, until several minutes after we both had finished. Come to find out, I was just 30 seconds behind her at the finish, ha, so I almost caught her. It worked out afterall.
So that's it. 42.4 miles to celebrate my 41st birthday. 3 races, over 40 hours, 4 medals, but memories that will last a lifetime. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Thank you to Karina and Laci for helping me to celebrate an awesome birthday weekend. You are both great running pals, and I appreciate being able to know you. Thanks again for helping make my 41st birthday one that I won't ever forget.
Here are a few pictures:
Me, after the Fargo Marathon during a goofy strongman pose.
After the Gambler Half Marathon, feeling fulfilled with a long weekend of running complete.
And the Bling, a 5k medal, a Fargo marathon medal, the Fargo Rocks medal, and the Gambler half marathon medal.
The moral of the story: Don't be afraid to take a chance and do something crazy and fun, and you don't have to "race" every race. There are so many ways to run, to be able to enjoy it. Do it your way. Yes, I love to race, but this weekend of running and some walking was one of the more enjoyable things I've done in awhile and I wouldn't change a thing.
The much longer version with all the details: Headed to Fargo on Friday with a couple of running friends, Laci and Karina. Enjoyed a pleasant 7 1/2 hour drive to the nice town of Fargo, ND, a new state for me. We stopped about every hour to stretch our legs and eat and drink. And we laughed a lot! Since I'm a meteorologist, I was fairly obsessed with the weather leading up to the race, and feared that they all might be thundered out. It rained half the way the way to Fargo, fairly certain the 5k race would be wet.
The First Race 5/20 - 5k - 26:55 - Met up with with a couple of other running friends before the race, and prepared to run, in the rain. It sprinkled as the National Anthem was sung, and then it stopped. Dry for the race, Yay, we got lucky. The race was really fun, just running, not racing, earned my medal, and enjoyed an awesome birthday dinner at a local Italian restaurant, even getting surprised with a free birthday dessert since Laci and Karina had whispered to the waitress. Thanks guys!
The Second Race - 5/21 - Marathon - 4:11:19 - It rained all night long, and again, was worried that the race would have been postponed because of thunder and lightning. The rain stopped about 30 minutes before the race, so again, we got lucky! Yay. Don't have a lot of details to say, other than it was a ton of fun! Laci and I ran together, and Karina lined up a few minutes behind us. We ran the first 2 miles, then did a 4:1 ratio for the rest of the race. Yes, we Gallowalked it. Big deal! Really, I'm training for a 24 hour event, and this crazy weekend was meant mostly as a training run for me. But we were passing people left and right, and continued to do so all the way to the end. In other words, Gallowalking works. Started to get a bad blister on the ball of my foot about about mile 15 though. After that, it got progressively worse. The last 5 miles it felt like I was stepping on a nail with every step. I was also worried that I was going to cramp really badly as I could feel it coming on. Even though I was in quite a bit of pain, we still managed to laugh a lot. Thank you Laci for making the race so fun. I kind of kept pace through the race, and Laci kept track of the 4:1, always letting us know when it was time to walk, or run/shuffle. Teamwork. I did cramp pretty bad, immediately as I crossed the finish line, so that was great timing. Also got a special medal for doing both the 5k and marathon. High quality medals, really classy. I can't recommend Fargo enough, a great overall event! Karina did have trouble in the race though, and after running 15 miles, decided to pull out. We were disappointed that her knee was really hurting badly, but it was a super smart decision on her part to not push it, to save her legs for the next one! After scoring a free lunch at Famous Daves (they took forever to deliver our food), the 7 1/2 hour car ride home was just as fun, all laughing, occasionally napping, stopping every hour to eat and stretch, and overall a breeze.
The Third Race - 5/22 - Half Marathon - 1:59:53 - After about 6 hours sleep, I got up to do it all over again, but only a half today. I duct taped the half dollar sized blister on the bottom of my foot and headed to the race. Since Laci had a much longer drive than me, I said I'd pick up her bib for her, and meet her immediately before the race started. Except we couldn't find each other. She was having me paged over the PA system, but I couldn't hear it. The race started, and I still had her race bib in my hands. Oops. I started anyhow, DFL, carrying her bib, hoping she'd be at the back looking for me. No luck. So, I ran the race with the intent of catching her to giver her the bib. Actually, everything felt really loose today, despite having run a marathon yesterday. That Gallowalking really does work, so I used the same strategy today, using 9:1 ratio instead of the 4:1 that I used yesterday. The race was on a really nice course, mix of streets, bike path, urban, and rural, and overall, a really fun morning and great race. Never did catch Laci, until several minutes after we both had finished. Come to find out, I was just 30 seconds behind her at the finish, ha, so I almost caught her. It worked out afterall.
So that's it. 42.4 miles to celebrate my 41st birthday. 3 races, over 40 hours, 4 medals, but memories that will last a lifetime. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Thank you to Karina and Laci for helping me to celebrate an awesome birthday weekend. You are both great running pals, and I appreciate being able to know you. Thanks again for helping make my 41st birthday one that I won't ever forget.
Here are a few pictures:
Me, after the Fargo Marathon during a goofy strongman pose.
After the Gambler Half Marathon, feeling fulfilled with a long weekend of running complete.
And the Bling, a 5k medal, a Fargo marathon medal, the Fargo Rocks medal, and the Gambler half marathon medal.
The moral of the story: Don't be afraid to take a chance and do something crazy and fun, and you don't have to "race" every race. There are so many ways to run, to be able to enjoy it. Do it your way. Yes, I love to race, but this weekend of running and some walking was one of the more enjoyable things I've done in awhile and I wouldn't change a thing.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Rock N Roll Arizona Marathon
Ran the RnR Arizona Marathon this past weekend in 3:43:14, a PR by 6:10. But, bonked in the last couple of miles with some severe cramping that dropped me to a hobble and near crawl. Se la vi, still got a nice PR and an awesome weekend in the sun with my wife, so I'm happy.
The bonk is purely my own fault. I completely forgot to bring my Endurolite capsules from the hotel, and the Cytomax that Competitor uses makes me sick, so I couldn't drink that. I fueled with a multi-hour bottle of Sustained Energy, water along the course, and planned on using the salt capsules, so going without any electrolytes was one of my downfalls. I also went out too fast. I put the hammer down early in the race when everything was feeling good and decided to go for broke, which was probably a mistake given I was cruising without any added salts. Oops. And I likely put too much into my training. I ran a 3:49 in Chicago, and signed up for this race as redemption. It was too soon, and I really pushed my limits in the 13 weeks in between. Got a PR for weekly mileage at 67, and just shy of 300 miles in December, but probably put too much effort into the training which left me depleted and worn down on race day. Plus, I tend to race too much anyhow (yeah, my singlet gives it away), my own fault.
Splits were awesome up until mile 20 though. Then my quads starting cramping (the course is a little too flat IMO), and by mile 24, had dropped to a run/walk shuffle. 10k, 51:22, 8:16 pace. 13.1m, 1:46:25, 8:07 pace. 20m, 2:44:26, 8:13 pace. 26.2, 3:43:14, 8:31 pace. 1:46:25/1:56:49 first/second half splits.
I'll still take it though!
The bonk is purely my own fault. I completely forgot to bring my Endurolite capsules from the hotel, and the Cytomax that Competitor uses makes me sick, so I couldn't drink that. I fueled with a multi-hour bottle of Sustained Energy, water along the course, and planned on using the salt capsules, so going without any electrolytes was one of my downfalls. I also went out too fast. I put the hammer down early in the race when everything was feeling good and decided to go for broke, which was probably a mistake given I was cruising without any added salts. Oops. And I likely put too much into my training. I ran a 3:49 in Chicago, and signed up for this race as redemption. It was too soon, and I really pushed my limits in the 13 weeks in between. Got a PR for weekly mileage at 67, and just shy of 300 miles in December, but probably put too much effort into the training which left me depleted and worn down on race day. Plus, I tend to race too much anyhow (yeah, my singlet gives it away), my own fault.
Splits were awesome up until mile 20 though. Then my quads starting cramping (the course is a little too flat IMO), and by mile 24, had dropped to a run/walk shuffle. 10k, 51:22, 8:16 pace. 13.1m, 1:46:25, 8:07 pace. 20m, 2:44:26, 8:13 pace. 26.2, 3:43:14, 8:31 pace. 1:46:25/1:56:49 first/second half splits.
I'll still take it though!
Friday, November 26, 2010
The Latrine Squat...Otherwise Knows as the Third World Squat
Again, I have nothing to say about this, other than it appears to be a really good stretch to help increase flexibility and engage your gluteal muscles, which may help with running. Hmm, might be worth a try.
Cortisol
Don't have much to say about it, other than I want to make a blog post so I don't forget about it. It could be a cause of lingering abdominal fat. It's a stress hormone. Stress makes our bodies produce it more readily. So does excessive exercise. Cortisol also helps regulate blood sugar levels, which I have a problem with. I'm a very stressed out guy, and I run, a LOT. Hmm, could an excess amount of cortisol be my problem?
Monday, October 18, 2010
3 Marathons, 3 States, in 8 Days
The Reader's Digest Condensed Version: I just completed back to back marathons in Kansas City and Des Moines, on Saturday and Sunday (10/16 and 10/17), which was just 1 week after the Chicago Marathon on 10/10. 3:49, 4:17, and 4:19 respectively, and I feel great. No injuries. That's 3 marathons, 3 states, in 8 days. Yes, I'm being fitted for a straight jacket tomorrow.
Disclaimer: I take full responsibility for what I do to my body, but do not suggest anyone else do this based on my results. I got lucky.
Oh, here's the really long, and Non Reader's Digest Condensed and boring part.
What's the Point: Well, why not. After seeing a couple of friends complete back to back marathons in June, I kind of got the bug, and by mid July, had decided that I wanted to end my fall training cycle with something that was borderline insane. At the same time, I didn't really reveal my plan to anyone incase I happened to bonk. I figured if I failed, it was nobody's business but my own, and I was willing to take the risk. Plus, it would be a 5-star upgrade in the Marathon Maniacs club that I'm part of, and I just thought it would be something fun and wild to try, let alone complete. The only problem, I couldn't really train for it since I wasn't changing my plan for the Chicago race. I had to have faith that a summer of 50 to 60 mpw would be enough.
Recovery between Chicago and Des Moines: Immediately after the Chicago race last week, I was in recovery full swing. I walked a ton. 2, 3, 4, miles a day. I ran a couple of slow miles here and there. I stretched a lot. I foam rolled and used the stick everyday. I got a massage. I sat in the hot tub every day and took very hot showers. It all worked. 7 days later, I felt very good. I was ready to give it a go. My left leg was just slightly tight, but nothing major at all.
Kansas City Marathon: Nervous as all get out (or scared), I toed the line to see what I could do. The weather was beautiful, and it was a great race, although it was extremely hilly. The hills also scared me a LOT, afraid that they would give me an injury. I used a run/walk strategy, running for a mile or so, then walking for a minute, and used it from the very beginning, trying to walk the uphills when I could. Shins hurt a bit a first, and my left foot hurt a bit occasionally, but it all loosened up within a few miles. It was hard, but I got a finish with 4:17 and change. Not bad. It also scared me that I perhaps ran it too fast, as I had another marathon to do tomorrow. I had absolutely no goal time for this race other than a finish.
Recovery between Kansas City and Des Moines: I was not looking forward to the 3 hour drive between the 2 cities. But immediately after the race, I got a cold water bath at the gym, and then started pushing calories. Chocolate milk, bread, protein, regular soda, crackers, the works. Every 30 minutes or so, I got out of the car at a rest stop or gas station, and walked 1/2 mile or so and stretched. Did this all the way to Des Moines. Did another cold water bath once I got to my hotel in Des Moines, and continued to push calories and carbs. I think I ate more calories in 8 hours than I did the entire previous day. Everything felt pretty good, but my left leg felt tweaked. More importantly, I crashed hard and got a full 8 hours of solid sleep.
The Kansas City Numbers: Note the pace, doing a run/walk from the beginning. And note the hills, I do not like hills.
1 race down, 1 to go, feeling good:
Des Moines Marathon: I woke up with lot of self doubt, although I felt amazingly fresh. My entire body was NOT sore, except for my left hamstring which was tweaked just a bit and tight. I toed the line with a running friend, who helped calm my nerves and also gave me a boost of confidence. I ran the second race just like the first, doing a run/walk strategy, walking the hills when I could. The weather was absolutely perfect. Des Moines has such a beautiful course. The left hamstring which was tight, loosened up completely about a mile in, so I would run a few minutes, walk a minute, rinse and repeat. Again, I had no time goal whatsoever for this race other than a finish. By about mile 21, I was done though. I wanted this adventure to be OVER and I almost walked off the course. But I slogged out the last few miles, and finished with my head held high and a huge smile on my face. Only 2 minutes slower than the day before, with 4:19 and change. I was amazed that I could do that, I thought it would be much slower.
The Des Moines numbers: Again, note the pace using a run/walk strategy. Not as hilly as Kansas City, and all the major hills were done by mile 8.
Mission Accomplished: Three marathons, three states, in eight days, and a 5-star Marathon Maniac upgrade, with NO injuries.
I did it. And I had a lot of fun. Yes, it was very hard and there was a big risk for an injury, but at the same time, it was very rewarding and a significant challenge. 2 years ago, I was not a runner. But I fell in love with running, and now it is one of my true passions. I've pushed my limits, tested my fortitude, and have worked hard to achieve my goals. I've made significant improvements in my race times, and have made solid gains my endurance. No, I'm not an overly fast runner, but that's OK. I'm getting better, and have proved to myself that I'm capable of more than I have given myself credit for. And that's a good thing. My motto always has been, better than I was, but not as good as I'll be, and for now, I'm going to keep moving, forward!
My Bling: Ahh, I love the bling. I will treasure these forever.
Disclaimer: I take full responsibility for what I do to my body, but do not suggest anyone else do this based on my results. I got lucky.
Oh, here's the really long, and Non Reader's Digest Condensed and boring part.
What's the Point: Well, why not. After seeing a couple of friends complete back to back marathons in June, I kind of got the bug, and by mid July, had decided that I wanted to end my fall training cycle with something that was borderline insane. At the same time, I didn't really reveal my plan to anyone incase I happened to bonk. I figured if I failed, it was nobody's business but my own, and I was willing to take the risk. Plus, it would be a 5-star upgrade in the Marathon Maniacs club that I'm part of, and I just thought it would be something fun and wild to try, let alone complete. The only problem, I couldn't really train for it since I wasn't changing my plan for the Chicago race. I had to have faith that a summer of 50 to 60 mpw would be enough.
Recovery between Chicago and Des Moines: Immediately after the Chicago race last week, I was in recovery full swing. I walked a ton. 2, 3, 4, miles a day. I ran a couple of slow miles here and there. I stretched a lot. I foam rolled and used the stick everyday. I got a massage. I sat in the hot tub every day and took very hot showers. It all worked. 7 days later, I felt very good. I was ready to give it a go. My left leg was just slightly tight, but nothing major at all.
Kansas City Marathon: Nervous as all get out (or scared), I toed the line to see what I could do. The weather was beautiful, and it was a great race, although it was extremely hilly. The hills also scared me a LOT, afraid that they would give me an injury. I used a run/walk strategy, running for a mile or so, then walking for a minute, and used it from the very beginning, trying to walk the uphills when I could. Shins hurt a bit a first, and my left foot hurt a bit occasionally, but it all loosened up within a few miles. It was hard, but I got a finish with 4:17 and change. Not bad. It also scared me that I perhaps ran it too fast, as I had another marathon to do tomorrow. I had absolutely no goal time for this race other than a finish.
Recovery between Kansas City and Des Moines: I was not looking forward to the 3 hour drive between the 2 cities. But immediately after the race, I got a cold water bath at the gym, and then started pushing calories. Chocolate milk, bread, protein, regular soda, crackers, the works. Every 30 minutes or so, I got out of the car at a rest stop or gas station, and walked 1/2 mile or so and stretched. Did this all the way to Des Moines. Did another cold water bath once I got to my hotel in Des Moines, and continued to push calories and carbs. I think I ate more calories in 8 hours than I did the entire previous day. Everything felt pretty good, but my left leg felt tweaked. More importantly, I crashed hard and got a full 8 hours of solid sleep.
The Kansas City Numbers: Note the pace, doing a run/walk from the beginning. And note the hills, I do not like hills.
1 race down, 1 to go, feeling good:
Des Moines Marathon: I woke up with lot of self doubt, although I felt amazingly fresh. My entire body was NOT sore, except for my left hamstring which was tweaked just a bit and tight. I toed the line with a running friend, who helped calm my nerves and also gave me a boost of confidence. I ran the second race just like the first, doing a run/walk strategy, walking the hills when I could. The weather was absolutely perfect. Des Moines has such a beautiful course. The left hamstring which was tight, loosened up completely about a mile in, so I would run a few minutes, walk a minute, rinse and repeat. Again, I had no time goal whatsoever for this race other than a finish. By about mile 21, I was done though. I wanted this adventure to be OVER and I almost walked off the course. But I slogged out the last few miles, and finished with my head held high and a huge smile on my face. Only 2 minutes slower than the day before, with 4:19 and change. I was amazed that I could do that, I thought it would be much slower.
The Des Moines numbers: Again, note the pace using a run/walk strategy. Not as hilly as Kansas City, and all the major hills were done by mile 8.
Mission Accomplished: Three marathons, three states, in eight days, and a 5-star Marathon Maniac upgrade, with NO injuries.
I did it. And I had a lot of fun. Yes, it was very hard and there was a big risk for an injury, but at the same time, it was very rewarding and a significant challenge. 2 years ago, I was not a runner. But I fell in love with running, and now it is one of my true passions. I've pushed my limits, tested my fortitude, and have worked hard to achieve my goals. I've made significant improvements in my race times, and have made solid gains my endurance. No, I'm not an overly fast runner, but that's OK. I'm getting better, and have proved to myself that I'm capable of more than I have given myself credit for. And that's a good thing. My motto always has been, better than I was, but not as good as I'll be, and for now, I'm going to keep moving, forward!
My Bling: Ahh, I love the bling. I will treasure these forever.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Short Version: I finished. And I didn't die (I always joke about that, but not really). It was horribly hot in the last 1/3 of the race, with temps pushing the mid 80s. I had to walk, a lot. I cramped really badly and couldn't even walk at mile 23. I was 15 minutes off my goal time, but still managed to squeak out a 7:14 PR over a previous marathon in May. Official time 3:49:24.
Pre Race Training: It was the best training program I've had, peaking at 60mpw during the August challenge, with a solid PR half 5 weeks before the race, with a perfect taper. The stage was set, I felt I had a solid chance at 3:30 - 3:35.
Expo: Was able to finally meet Doug (Venomized) in person at the expo. He's a cool guy. The expo was awesome. DW accompanied me to Chicago for the weekend, and we both really enjoyed going through the booths, taking pictures in front of all the photo backdrops, and various shopping, and just in awe of how big it really was. Neat.
The race: I did everything right for this race. Was very well hydrated, did a proper carb load, and just felt this was my race. Signed up for the 3:30 pace group at the Expo. Standing in the starting corral when it was 64 degrees, I threw that goal out the window. Fell back to my 3:35 pace band that I had made for the race. Within the first 2 miles, threw that out the window because I was already sweating buckets, and settled in with the 3:40 pace group through mile 17. Miles were ticking off in the 8:10-8:15 range, and I felt awesome. Of course, there was shade, a lot of it. By 17 1/2 miles in, the shade was gone the wheels were falling off and beginning to become piles of bubbling goo, becoming part of the ashpalt. I got nauseous, started cramping, had some minor GI issues, and I was dehydrated, despite stopping at EVERY water station for a glass of Gatorade and water. By Mile 18, I had to drop to a walk. Gasp. I walked about 10 more times over the next 8 miles. At mile 20, it was 83 degrees, with full sun. The last 2 to 3 miles were a pure slog. I had stopped sweating. When I crossed the finish line, I was extremely nauseous. I was swearing that I would NEVER do another marathon. It was hard race, and I definitely descended to somewehre very near the point of hell I believe. Still got my PR, and given the conditions, I'm extremely happy with that. Wanted more, but we can't control the weather, and one of my sayings, it will be what will be. Today was not my day. The crowds along the race were insane though. Very fun!!
Post Race: The long mile walk back to my hotel was probably the best thing I could do. It took that long to start feeling better, and I could finally smile again. Got a Pepsi, and a banana, and started feeling better, and got into an ice bath for 10 minutes which really helped the legs. Took a hot shower, and packed up and headed home. And, I told my wife I would never do this again, repeatedly.
The Epilogue: After a long trip home, involving planes, trains, and automobiles, 9 hours later, I'm feeling much better and am thinking about my next adventure. My legs really aren't that sore, and I feel pretty good! It is what it is, I'm a runner, and there are good and bad days. Today was a mixture of both. For better or worse, right? Right?? In the end, I'm better than I was, but not as good as I'll be. Peaks and valleys.
Here are a few pictures:
Me pointing to my name on the Wall of all of the 45000 registered Chicago marathon runners. See how chubby my finger is? I told you I was well hydrated and had carbed up.
A picture of DW and I at the photo backdrop at Niketown in downtown Chicago (OK, we spent way too much money there, but that's OK, we love Nike stuff).
Me, post race back at the hotel, with the medal, and getting my sugar levels back to normal, and I'm even smiling, quickly forgetting about the pain.
The bling! Ahh, the bling. I love, love, love this shirt, it's a Nike Dry Fit shirt. The medal is really nice too, It might be one of my favorite medals. Simple, but very elegant. And the whole 10-10-10 theme is awesome.
Overall, this was a PRICELESS weekend with one crappy element, the weather. And yes, there will be another day. I also want to thank my DW for being my support crew this weekend. I think she legitimately had a great weekend too. She got to watch the Elites at the finish line, and couldn't believe how many runners were going down in the last couple of miles. Ironically enough, after we got home, my feet feel great, but my DW is the one with 2 huge blisters on her feet. Bless her for supporting my passion and sticking with me, for better or worse.
Pre Race Training: It was the best training program I've had, peaking at 60mpw during the August challenge, with a solid PR half 5 weeks before the race, with a perfect taper. The stage was set, I felt I had a solid chance at 3:30 - 3:35.
Expo: Was able to finally meet Doug (Venomized) in person at the expo. He's a cool guy. The expo was awesome. DW accompanied me to Chicago for the weekend, and we both really enjoyed going through the booths, taking pictures in front of all the photo backdrops, and various shopping, and just in awe of how big it really was. Neat.
The race: I did everything right for this race. Was very well hydrated, did a proper carb load, and just felt this was my race. Signed up for the 3:30 pace group at the Expo. Standing in the starting corral when it was 64 degrees, I threw that goal out the window. Fell back to my 3:35 pace band that I had made for the race. Within the first 2 miles, threw that out the window because I was already sweating buckets, and settled in with the 3:40 pace group through mile 17. Miles were ticking off in the 8:10-8:15 range, and I felt awesome. Of course, there was shade, a lot of it. By 17 1/2 miles in, the shade was gone the wheels were falling off and beginning to become piles of bubbling goo, becoming part of the ashpalt. I got nauseous, started cramping, had some minor GI issues, and I was dehydrated, despite stopping at EVERY water station for a glass of Gatorade and water. By Mile 18, I had to drop to a walk. Gasp. I walked about 10 more times over the next 8 miles. At mile 20, it was 83 degrees, with full sun. The last 2 to 3 miles were a pure slog. I had stopped sweating. When I crossed the finish line, I was extremely nauseous. I was swearing that I would NEVER do another marathon. It was hard race, and I definitely descended to somewehre very near the point of hell I believe. Still got my PR, and given the conditions, I'm extremely happy with that. Wanted more, but we can't control the weather, and one of my sayings, it will be what will be. Today was not my day. The crowds along the race were insane though. Very fun!!
Post Race: The long mile walk back to my hotel was probably the best thing I could do. It took that long to start feeling better, and I could finally smile again. Got a Pepsi, and a banana, and started feeling better, and got into an ice bath for 10 minutes which really helped the legs. Took a hot shower, and packed up and headed home. And, I told my wife I would never do this again, repeatedly.
The Epilogue: After a long trip home, involving planes, trains, and automobiles, 9 hours later, I'm feeling much better and am thinking about my next adventure. My legs really aren't that sore, and I feel pretty good! It is what it is, I'm a runner, and there are good and bad days. Today was a mixture of both. For better or worse, right? Right?? In the end, I'm better than I was, but not as good as I'll be. Peaks and valleys.
Here are a few pictures:
Me pointing to my name on the Wall of all of the 45000 registered Chicago marathon runners. See how chubby my finger is? I told you I was well hydrated and had carbed up.
A picture of DW and I at the photo backdrop at Niketown in downtown Chicago (OK, we spent way too much money there, but that's OK, we love Nike stuff).
Me, post race back at the hotel, with the medal, and getting my sugar levels back to normal, and I'm even smiling, quickly forgetting about the pain.
The bling! Ahh, the bling. I love, love, love this shirt, it's a Nike Dry Fit shirt. The medal is really nice too, It might be one of my favorite medals. Simple, but very elegant. And the whole 10-10-10 theme is awesome.
Overall, this was a PRICELESS weekend with one crappy element, the weather. And yes, there will be another day. I also want to thank my DW for being my support crew this weekend. I think she legitimately had a great weekend too. She got to watch the Elites at the finish line, and couldn't believe how many runners were going down in the last couple of miles. Ironically enough, after we got home, my feet feel great, but my DW is the one with 2 huge blisters on her feet. Bless her for supporting my passion and sticking with me, for better or worse.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
2010 Grand Island Nebraska Half Marathon
This was a tuneup race for me, to help determine and dial in my goal marathon pace for the upcoming Chicago Marathon. I didn't know if I could run this race until the very last minute, and thus did no formal taper for the race. In fact, I did a hard VO2 Max Workout just 2 days before the race, so wasn't exactly sure what to expect. However, leading up to the race, I've felt very strong, and I'm nearly 100% healthy (except for a perpetually tight left Achilles Tendon).
The race itself is a small race, a few hundred runners total, but very competitive. It's a nearly pancake flat course, which helps, and also should mimic the Chicago race. The day broke with mild temperatures around 50 degrees, light winds, and blue sunny skies. Ahh, perhaps the sweet spot for racing.
Overall, this was a very strong race for me. I nabbed a new PR of 4:22, with a finish time of 1:39:57. It was also the first race that I almost threw up at the finish line, I was running that hard. Average HR 162, max 176. Splits 7:51, 7:49, 7:45, 7:44, 7:37, 7:37, 7:34, 7:29, 7:25, 7:41, 7:39, 7:39, 7:35, 6:18. My 10th Half Marathon since I started running almost 2 years ago.
Even though it was a PR for me, it was no where close to an age group award. The M40-44 division is an extremely, tough, competitive group. But that's OK. Still a great race and I'm not complaining at all. I also realized that I would need to run this exact pace for another 13.1 miles to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I'm definitely not there yet either, but I'm making progress.
After the race, I also had just a faint amount of blood in my urine. From my web research, this appears to be somewhat common with hard exercise, especially if you have an empty bladder. The inside of the bladder wall rubs together creating a mild trauma, which creates a little bit of blood.
This was a great race. It has given me a new-found confidence in my running, and also means that I probably need to choose a new time goal for the Chicago Marathon in 5 weeks. Better than I was before, but not as good as I'll be. But for today, it was good enough for me.
The race itself is a small race, a few hundred runners total, but very competitive. It's a nearly pancake flat course, which helps, and also should mimic the Chicago race. The day broke with mild temperatures around 50 degrees, light winds, and blue sunny skies. Ahh, perhaps the sweet spot for racing.
Overall, this was a very strong race for me. I nabbed a new PR of 4:22, with a finish time of 1:39:57. It was also the first race that I almost threw up at the finish line, I was running that hard. Average HR 162, max 176. Splits 7:51, 7:49, 7:45, 7:44, 7:37, 7:37, 7:34, 7:29, 7:25, 7:41, 7:39, 7:39, 7:35, 6:18. My 10th Half Marathon since I started running almost 2 years ago.
Even though it was a PR for me, it was no where close to an age group award. The M40-44 division is an extremely, tough, competitive group. But that's OK. Still a great race and I'm not complaining at all. I also realized that I would need to run this exact pace for another 13.1 miles to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I'm definitely not there yet either, but I'm making progress.
After the race, I also had just a faint amount of blood in my urine. From my web research, this appears to be somewhat common with hard exercise, especially if you have an empty bladder. The inside of the bladder wall rubs together creating a mild trauma, which creates a little bit of blood.
This was a great race. It has given me a new-found confidence in my running, and also means that I probably need to choose a new time goal for the Chicago Marathon in 5 weeks. Better than I was before, but not as good as I'll be. But for today, it was good enough for me.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
New Monthly Mileage PR
This past month, I hit a new monthly mileage personal record. It was a strong month, and an online running game that I manage also helped push me a bit too. 259.2 miles, with an average pace of 8:59. That's about 9 miles above my previous PR in May. Hopefully, the investment in time will pay off for the Chicago Marathon in 6 weeks.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
2010 Swan Lake Half Marathon
You Just Never Know…
The race is a fairly small race that benefits the Swan Lake youth Christian camp southwest of Sioux Falls, SD. A full marathon, a half, and a 5.3 mile race. My goal going into the race was a 1:45:59 or better, to get me into the C start corral at Chicago. My ITBS is completely gone, but I have been having some Achilles issues lately in my left ankle, so just was unsure if I could maintain a PR pace for 13.1 miles. Of course, I typically have a lot of self doubt regarding my running.
The rain stopped by race start, but it sprinkled about midway through, then started with a steady rain in the last mile. Nice and cool with temps in the lower 60s, overcast conditions, and nearly flat course. The mud wasn’t that bad. Once you got dirty, you couldn’t do much worse, and running in the compacted tire track helped. The miles ticked off pretty easily. I never could get into the zone though, and it was constant work trying to keep my breathing under control. Felt my heart rate was pretty high the whole time, which is not surprising since I’ve never run this fast this far. Legs did great, no problems there.
Overall, I’m extremely pleased with my performance. Official time of 1:44:19, 7th place overall male, and first in my age division of 40-44. I’m very glad I didn’t roll over and go back to bed at 4am this morning! I was ready to give up before I even started, but stepping up to the challenge despite my doubts, I was able to nab a PR, an entry into the C corral at Chicago, and first in my age group. So the moral of my story today, you just never know and never give up!
Splits: 7:54, 7:58, 7:50, 7:52, 7:58, 7:53, 7:49, 7:54, 7:59, 8:02, 7:54, 7:54, and 7:45. Pretty even splits. Was hoping to have sub8 for the entire race, and was pretty close except for mile 10. Se la vi. Bottom line, I’m better than I was yesterday, but not as good as I’ll be tomorrow! This gives me a nice confidence boost leading into the training for the Chicago marathon this fall.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
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