tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46923773260469668232024-03-13T12:32:12.881-07:00Running SpikeSpikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.comBlogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-46191943934417057622013-04-23T10:24:00.000-07:002013-04-23T10:24:51.770-07:00I Know You Want To KnowAfter you have read <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/2013/04/lansing-marathon-spectating-recap.html">this</a>.<br />
<br />
The answer is yes, it was comfortable. <br />
<br />
<br />
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Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-87953813364147927672013-04-15T15:12:00.001-07:002013-04-15T15:12:38.466-07:00Boston
<br />
I am devastated by what happened today and our thoughts and prayers go out
to all the victims of this horrific act of terrorism. <br />
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-44268517857773467852013-03-25T12:48:00.000-07:002013-03-25T12:48:09.104-07:00Nothing New, but Graston
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Based on APORES
scoring “Amusement Park and Other Rides Excitement Scale,” which ranges between
the penny ride at Meijer on the low end and <a href="http://www.cedarpoint.com/rides/Roller-Coasters/Millennium-Force">Millennium Force</a> on the other end,
my injury rates somewhere along the excitement level of a bidirectional carousel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7L9uyFj7PisOQ4Hfdl5q7BiZjS8yya4_fmC-JPAgya3h7vwdaGf4GYnOcawGj9ofQZI0-SE70Z1Lb6AOK4C-N6TWUlv9D2c2hyfPdCYl9hDoICj5YONPGldkVqW93TkGEnbVPk7yjlw/s1600/imagesCAA4Q2FW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7L9uyFj7PisOQ4Hfdl5q7BiZjS8yya4_fmC-JPAgya3h7vwdaGf4GYnOcawGj9ofQZI0-SE70Z1Lb6AOK4C-N6TWUlv9D2c2hyfPdCYl9hDoICj5YONPGldkVqW93TkGEnbVPk7yjlw/s1600/imagesCAA4Q2FW.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I went to the sports
doctor today and they did an X-Ray, just to be sure it was not a stress
fracture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The conversation went like
this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Dr: “Your tibia
and fibula look good.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Me: “Thank
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People always say that, but it just
seems like the type of thing people say to be nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you see them in black and white, you can
really tell they are awfully nice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Dr: “Well…moving
on…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(In case you forgot what they look like without their meat.)</span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">No stress
fracture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, they have scheduled me for
some physical therapy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I start next
Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will be using the <a href="http://www.grastontechnique.com/">Graston</a>
method.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Painful they say, but effective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Well, I can only
hope that, like the penny ride, it will be over quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-58327091227918412642013-03-15T18:00:00.000-07:002013-03-15T18:00:33.735-07:00Serious Pain
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My injury was
not shin splints, nor the dreaded stress fracture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctors were sure of that after pressing
all up and down my right shin—at least buy me dinner first eh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they flipped me over like a flap-jack and
decided it was a tear in my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soleus_muscle">Soleus</a> muscle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That was on March 6th.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t
run since February 26th.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be
three weeks next Tuesday, but it seems like forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ffffoooorrrrrreeeeevvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
These things take 6 to 8 weeks they said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, I’ve been an elliptical god, spending as much as 3.5 hours straight
on the lower-body-gerbil-wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had
been feeling better, not hurting from walking or standing around, so tonight I
gave<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it a little test on a
treadmill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked .1M at a 15m/mile
pace, and then tried to run at a 9m/mile pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t get to .2M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain was
there immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Looks like more time
on the elliptical for Spike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And thusly
a few things stand out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems very
evident that racing Glass City is out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I’m lucky I can maybe keep enough fitness to trot it, or maybe the
half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, Racer and I have
switched places and it will be my turn to support her marathon while I’m
sidelined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Only, I wish
this injury was something more serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Something that would justify sitting on the couch and issuing orders
through my megaphone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, maybe I just
wish I injured a muscle most people have heard of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-15511021238012381992013-03-03T17:50:00.000-08:002013-03-03T17:50:43.428-08:00Things Break…Sometimes in Bunches<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love my Garmin 405. It has suffered with me through
countless terrible runs and half-hearted efforts since I purchased it on
Thanksgiving 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dark Atlas has seen
eight states and even Paris, France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was with me for my 50M race, was with me for my marathon PR, and has carried me
to three of my four consecutive BQs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But we are both getting older and sadly showing signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myself, I have a mildly serious case of shin
splints that may or may not be a stress fracture depending on a doctor’s diagnosis…which
I have conveniently avoided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had
shin splints before, and always reduced my running and mileage to ensure they
didn’t evolve (like a Mogwai into a Gremlin).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But this is the first time the pain in my right leg has forced me to
take off primary runs (skipping a 8M tempo run and a 18M long run this past week).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
lieu of my long run, I did two hours on the elliptical on Saturday and then a
three hour cardio session on today (elliptical, bike, elliptical); all pain
free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hope is to make it through my
speed workout on Tuesday and then maybe skip my tempo run and hopefully be pain
free for my 20M next weekend.</span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, back to the important matter; Dark Atlas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The battery lifespan is getting shorter and
shorter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A 20M all but exhausts the battery
starting out on a full charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Worse,
somehow the satellite reception is off, causing me to add about .02M to every
mile I run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many times I’ve run next to
Racer and her Garmin is right on while I keep adding hundredths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, running my base 4M, 5M, or 7M routes
all coming up about .02M per mile short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve spoken to the fine people at Garmin and run completed
both a satellite reset and a factory reset. Nothing solves the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They just get old and stop performing as
well,” the Garmin representative told me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t we all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, Garmin no longer makes the 405.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or even the 410 for that matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do make the 610, which I’ve never really
loved and is perhaps more watch than necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But the 210, which Racer owns, lacks a simple feature I really like…the
ability to look at the individual laps of a run on the watch (the 210 requires
you to download the run before you can dissect each mile).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The good news is that I can find new 405s and
410s online—relatively inexpensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or should I go with the Nike GPS?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anyone have this watch that really likes
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you review your splits on your
watch?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there anything annoying about
the Nike GPS watch?</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While I await your input, I will continue to be an elliptical
god as I rest my leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because there is
little need for an aging Garmin on the elliptical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-89072693906080512692013-02-18T18:37:00.005-08:002013-02-18T18:37:45.002-08:00A Shoe On the Right Foot -- Shoe Review
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Runners are more loyal to their shoe brand than their alma
mater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, how much money do you
spend per year on a particular running shoe while wholesale ignoring the
repeated high-gloss mailings begging for a small annual contribution?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, you may root for them on Fall Saturdays
and even be lucky enough to have a basketball team worth its salt and therefore
extend the spectating season until March, but no check is sent off to the College
of Fancy Letters or the School of Legoeering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet, without fail, around every 250 to 500 miles the same brand gets
another donation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I am no exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Which is why, when the outstanding folks at <a href="https://www.onlineshoes.com/">Online Shoes</a> give me
the opportunity to road test a new pair of shoes—any brand of shoes my wild
little heart desired—I elected to test a pair of the bard I know and love so
well…<a href="https://www.onlineshoes.com/asics-b_id1">Asics</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always alternate between a
pair of the 2100 series (that is, until they elected to eliminate the series
and/or rename it) and either the Nimbus or the Gel-Kayano.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rotated to the new<a href="http://www.onlineshoes.com/mens-asics-gel-kayano-19-titanium-royal-black-p_id283763"> Gel-Kayano 19</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Gel-Kayanos are a little sturdier than
the 2100 series, with added cushioning and a slightly different lace wrap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like all new pairs of shoes, I break them in easily with a
few easy 3 to 5 mile runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you never
really know a pair of shoes until you take them out for some speed work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, after several comfortable easy runs totaling
around 20 miles I gave the new pair, the Grey Starks as I’ve named them, a go
on a six mile tempo run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, because the
running gods are aware that no running kindness (the ability to try out a new
pair of awesome <a href="http://www.onlineshoes.com/mens-asics-b_id1">Men’s Asics</a> shoes for free) goes unnoticed, they elected to
infuse my run with a combination of rain turning into sleet which turned into
hail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, little frozen balls of water hurtling
down from the skies in an attempt to strike you with sufficient force as to
produce an audible thwacking sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
meant quickly deteriorating running surface conditions during a speed
workout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ugh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMLvONhoUK6Eio-w-XUCItOlt6YyA_-77o_vOyZTNMCc1vAWXdedkS3M8_9HGaluSP1x_WFROPfNZUDB9I4vc6xWwhWRcclkTwsl24xqhayB5aX1tYjFnQB_2TOtJIk8szeoK0HL1U9E/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMLvONhoUK6Eio-w-XUCItOlt6YyA_-77o_vOyZTNMCc1vAWXdedkS3M8_9HGaluSP1x_WFROPfNZUDB9I4vc6xWwhWRcclkTwsl24xqhayB5aX1tYjFnQB_2TOtJIk8szeoK0HL1U9E/s1600/photo.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMLvONhoUK6Eio-w-XUCItOlt6YyA_-77o_vOyZTNMCc1vAWXdedkS3M8_9HGaluSP1x_WFROPfNZUDB9I4vc6xWwhWRcclkTwsl24xqhayB5aX1tYjFnQB_2TOtJIk8szeoK0HL1U9E/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;" unselectable="on">
</div>
</a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But the Gel-Kayanos were superb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They handled the rapidly changing conditions
and I was able to pull off my best tempo run of the training cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Best of all, as I finished my last mile the
clouds broke and the setting sun shone triumphantly down upon me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No joke, Michigan weather is just that
stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What I feel makes the Gel-Kayanos such an
excellent running shoe is its ability to take a severe beating while still
delivering comfort with every foot strike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is something I never felt about my Saucony Kinvaras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so, a speed workout done and the
Gel-Kayanos having proven themselves, I look forward to the remainder of my
training cycle with my Grey Starks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-34654824258504948542013-02-09T18:20:00.001-08:002013-02-09T18:20:15.038-08:00Goofy Recap<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I would say I mildly trained for the Goofy Challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If pressed, I would define that training as
doing almost every long run with the <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/">Redhead</a> and that my longest long run was
16M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, I sat fearless with my
Cuz Saturday morning as we watched the fireworks start the half-marathon at
5:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And watched more fireworks for more corrals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And waited some more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And at 6:25am our corral was finally sent
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>FN1</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our plan was to take the half easy but comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this is Florida, and Florida sure
enjoys cooking pale white folks like me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So it wasn’t long before the sun went up. FN2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wouldn’t say there is anything special about the course
for the first few miles. But, once you enter the Magic Kingdom and run down
Main Street, you know it is worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cuz and I ran and sang and refused to let the angry sun getting angrier
to stop us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we rounded Epcot we knew
that we were only steps away from finishing the first third of our
adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That night we had an excellent dinner and went to bed both
sore and giddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then the morning
came, and the soreness was still lingering, and I’m sure I had the same thought
every Goofy runner has ever had on marathon morning: “Why don’t they run the
full on Saturday and the half of Sunday?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This time, Cuz and I decided to take a different approach
and sneak up into corral B (my corral).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we got on the wrong bus, and found ourselves on the VIP bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bus took us to the start line and
bypassed the mile long walk from the gear check to the starting line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would not really be a problem, except
that I had my bag and they weren’t going to let us continue to mooch off the
VIP status.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I mean why not?, I ran
mile to the gear check and ran back after sneaking Cuz into corral B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The marathon was by far my favorite of the two races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps it is because it includes more
parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, maybe mostly it is because Cuz
and I started 50 minutes earlier than we had the day before and that allowed us
to hit the Magic Kingdom while it was still dark and lit up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pretty early on, we decided to use our own improvised
<a href="http://www.jeffgalloway.com/">Galloway</a> program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really, it didn’t
matter, we were there for the adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Only, the sun got even angrier on Sunday, and we worked hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some course highlights included the Animal
Kingdom where I was able to kick a goat and hug a llama, running through
<a href="http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/complex/champion-stadium/">Champions Stadium</a> at the Wide World of Sports, and down the boardwalk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The least impressive part of the course, for
me, was running on the racetrack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will tell you that, like my <a href="http://feetmeetstreet.blogspot.com/2008/01/goofy-challenge-final-thoughts.html">idol</a>, we had to use BioFreeze
to make finishing possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But still,
we persevered and Cuz even managed to set a marathon PR even having run a half
marathon the day before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having been deemed completely Goofy, and sporting the bling
to support it, I think my days of ultra running are at an end for now as I
focus on the more traditional <a href="http://www.glasscitymarathon.org/">marathon</a> distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I do want to say that I had a lot of fun
and that I’m so proud of my Cuz who dug deep and ran had even when he thought
he couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m proud of you buddy. FN3</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> __________</span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN1: If you ever run the Disney full or half, lie or cheat
or steal or whatever you need to do to be sure you start in a higher
corral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, an hour to get to the
starting line! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The overall
winner of the half ran it in a 1:05:26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, the winner finished before we finished our first mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you read the <a href="http://www.hansons-running.com/2013/01/14/morgan-johnson-white-set-new-course-records-in-disney-half-marathon/#more-612">article</a>, you’ll notice how
the winner stated the race is run entirely ‘in the dark.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well buddy, not for everyone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN3: I also want want to say thanks to the Redhead for her support and say congrats on your awesome <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/2013/01/disney-half-race-and-goofy-spectating.html">half</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-70008723569364791592013-01-09T17:53:00.000-08:002013-01-09T18:28:05.944-08:00Goofy My Gosh<br />
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Yep. It has been a while. I could lie to you, give you reasons why I
haven’t spent time commenting or posting, but that I’ve been reading what has
been going on in your life. But really,
I’ve had to keep abreast of your BQs, PRs, break-ups, make-ups, babies, and
general shenanigans via my lovely <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/2012/10/je-suis-mariee.html">wife</a> Racer.
Or <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/2012/12/on-becoming-manly.html" target="_blank">Ross</a> if you are in the club. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Each year I try something different with my marathon plan (read: each year I throw some devastatingly stupid and ridiculously absurd monkey-wrench into my training plan). This year I’m starting my marathon training by running the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/" target="_blank">Goofy Challenge</a>. Sure, I’m not planning on racing either the half or the full this weekend, but I’m planning on running lots of it and taking pictures with Buzz Lightyear and having fun with my Cuz. I mean, why not start training for 26.2M by running 39.3M. Totally reasonable. All of this, of course, is to prep as I prepare to run <a href="http://www.glasscitymarathon.org/" target="_blank">Glass City</a> this spring.</div>
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Finally, a note on being married. Not only is it wonderful, but I find that protected by our vows I can share things I had previously hidden, like my Little Sally Walker dance. </div>
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Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-38010438906446634542012-09-10T19:22:00.003-07:002012-09-10T19:22:48.189-07:00The Next Big Thing Wasn’t as Big as I Thought
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a summer of pain wrought of angry sun, hot temperatures,
and humility filled humidity (like what I did there?), I got a good day to
run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I picked up my bib for the 50M, the 100M/k’ers were just
beginning their adventures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather
was warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few hours later, as darkness
crept deeper and deeper into the earth, a rain began to fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thirty percent chance of rain kept raining
for the next six or so hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of
running, I was getting prepared to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before I shut my eyes, my thoughts went out to the people who were still
running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The <a href="http://runwoodstock.com/" target="_blank">course</a> breaks down like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>16.66M per loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>50M’ers do 3 loops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each loop is really four sections which
comprise two large loops separated by a dirt road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The North loop is comprised of the first and
fourth sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The South loop is
comprised of the second and third sections and is the North part of the Poto Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each section is about 4 miles---ish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first section is single track horse
trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the easiest section of
the course—despite its several steep hills and difficult terrain—because it
included some distance on a rails-to-trails trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The joy of the flat and easy path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second section is a dirt road to the midway
point of the south loop (about 8M).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third
loop has the least amount of elevation change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fourth loop has the most amount of elevation change and hands-down
the steepest hill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/2012/09/run-woodstock-spectating-and-pacing.html" target="_blank">Redhead</a> and I awoke early and made our way to Hell Creek
Ranch for the 6am start of the 50M/k’ers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve previously discussed how hard trail running is for me; predictably,
it isn’t any easier in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the
50-something runners (and their headlamps) were of little help in navigating
the path safely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not even three miles in
I had tweaked both my left and right ankles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not long after that I slipped on a very muddy downhill and only avoided
a face-plant because I ran into a tree—stopping my momentum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, I guess, I’ve rolled both ankles
as often as the Pillsbury Doughboy had rolled…you get where I’m going…so, I was
able to make some minor adjustments to my stride and the soreness slowly melted
into the overall soreness the rest of my body began to feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first loop, despite the initial stumbles and darkness,
was the easiest simply because I was fresh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first loop had lots of 100M/k’ers, plus we were finishing the first
loop as many of the marathoners, half-marathoners, and the 5M’ers were
finishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just kept telling myself, “Make
every loop its own story.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first
story was titled ‘muddy.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very muddy
and slick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I finished the first loop I didn’t quite understand how
they had organized the finish line and the keep running loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured I had to cross the mat to record my
lap time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually crossed the finish
line and had to go back to where the Redhead and several other friends/family
were there to cheer me on; I still had two loops to complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Redhead pulled me away to help me change
shoes/socks and give me some liquid supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I then went out to chat-up the people who adore my fiancé enough to come
and cheer me on ;).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then off I went for
the second loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Leaving to start the second loop, I was walking as I tried
to ingest some Gatorade, a Mt. Dew, and half a sandwich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away I come upon an official photographer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sees me and yells “Come on and at least
make it look like you are running.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the second loop
would be my most difficult as my pacers would be joining me on the third—and the
number of other runners on the course was going to drop very quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The good thing was that the day remained
mostly cloudy but warm enough to dry up the trail, making the footing much
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on a run 45min walk 15min
routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stuck to this for the first
25miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I switched to a run 15 min
walk 5min routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did that for an
entire loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There were some exceptions to the rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walk up steep hills or down steep hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walk after aid stations to allow for
nutrition consumption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the second
loop it seemed a lot of runners noticed the sock monkey I had hanging from my
Camelbak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sock Monkey was polite and
would say hi to other runners, and sometimes sing his favorite song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sung to the tune of Karma Chameleon and goes “Comeand
comeand comeand comeand, Comeand eat fig leaves with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweet leafy figs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweet leafy fiiiiiiiigs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Live’n is easy when you are swings from the
trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cool jungle breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cool jungle breeze.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The song was muffled a bit because he was in a plastic
bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept telling runners, much to the
dismay of Sock Money—that the plastic bag wasn’t so much because he wanted to
stay dry but because he was into that asphyxiation thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Note: I think the real difference between
running a marathon for me and running an ultra is that, in an ultra, I can say
all of the things I’m not say during a marathon because I’m trying to preserve energy.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so the second loop went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Soon I was rounding into the camp and was excited to see
more crew members there, including Buck and Bunny (my parents).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I changed shoes and socks but by this point I
couldn’t eat anything solid more than a banana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This meant the delicious bacon had to be left behind—like an unfortunate
soul after the rapture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>FN2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Redhead was going to join me for the first 5ish miles of
the last loop then trade off with my cuz Brian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we embarked on my last loop, I told her about the rules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Follow the 45/15 run/walk ratio<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Walk up and down steep hills</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Only encouraging words unless talking to Sock
Monkey</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t pass runners on the up part of a hill, it
is considered rude (a rule I made up and sometimes ignored)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Always yell either “Hundies are for Heroes” or “You
the Boss” to the other 100M/k’ers</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t look back to see how I am doing, the trail
will punish you for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One stumble taught her the importance of the last rule
rather early on. Still, she did a great job of talking and keeping me
distracted from the fact that I was sore and every step was a bit of a small
ache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only real problem was that the
South loop went in the opposite direction than she had anticipated, and this
meant she had to run much farther than she had anticipated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, she never complained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I did get to point out my favorite part
of the course to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, we found cuz Brian and he got to bring me home over
the most difficult part of the course, the last six miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cuz had an excellent shirt made for the
occasion, and it included the part about being the ‘Official sponsor of the
second trash bin after the third water station.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Priceless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the fourth section of the last loop, I did drop down to a
run 10, walk 5 rotation but really just tried to run as long as I could until I
needed a walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I was on target for
my 10 to 11 hour finish if I could keep this up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, thanks to the help of my pacers, I was
able to do the third loop in the same time as I did my first loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finishing—officially—around 10 hours and 40 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(3:30, 4:00, 3:20).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Random things:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
couldn’t have done this without the love or support of the Redhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course was marked with pink marking flags
(think the small flags typically used to mark buried electrical lines).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the last mile I picked one up and carried
it in with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I crossed the finish, I
began to explain to the volunteer that there were thousands of these out there
and that I had picked up several hundred of them but they were too many so I
just threw them into the woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
missed the joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to sing “This is
the song that never ends…” and it wasn’t started by me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Changing shoes and socks every loop was my
only good idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My feet are as undamaged
as one could hope for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I struggled with
solid food immediately—despite my many McDonalds and Taco Bell stops during my training
runs—causing me to almost puke a few times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I never hit a wall or had a break-down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sock Monkey said some pretty awful things, but
I said some terrible things back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We always
made up in the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we would sing
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing my friends and family
was amazing and lifted my spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hundred
milers really are heroes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only fell
once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still want to do 100M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never got the chance to punch a deer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The motivational cards many of you made for
me were awesome and hilarious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
winner of the 100M averaged a faster pace than any mile I ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people are born to run on tails, I’m
more like a T-Rex at a tea party on the trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sock Monkey sans bag. A note from Racer she snuck into in my Camelbak for an early training run. I never took the note out. And two plastic feet from my newhew. He earned several of these for running during school. I carried all of these for the entire 50M. I'm going to give one plastic foot back. I plan on giving the other back after I finish 100M. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That is all for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-30824036397866699012012-09-06T09:49:00.000-07:002012-09-06T09:49:04.779-07:00Half 100M is Still Half Good
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This brutal summer has taken its toll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, after long days of waffling back and
forth like a politician, I am dropping down to the 50M race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not only a defeat to my 100M goal,
but also a moral defeat to the <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Redhead</a>, who always championed I attempt the 50M
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, she made this
recommendation out of love, some legitimate concern, and common sense—but I was
awfully intent on ignoring all of the above for as long a possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I jest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the right choice and the safe choice for me right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, when I complete a 100M race after we are married,
then she will finally have a husband worth bragging about--to a very small
and select group of people who may actually care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-62498758977317203692012-08-19T06:46:00.001-07:002012-08-19T06:46:26.365-07:00The Black Bear and the Blue Bear<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two points: 1) I love words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The ability of pastors, politicians, and poets all depend upon the
ability to convey ideas dressed in words; and 2) you may wonder why I use the
symbol of a blue bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s because of
the wonderful story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_13%C2%BD_Lives_of_Captain_Bluebear" target="_blank">The 13 ½ Loves ofCaptain Bluebear</a></i> by Walter Moers.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Captain Bluebear’s adventures, one of my favorite parts
is where he finds himself in a society that sees the ability to tell lies as a
sporting events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stadiums are packed to
listen to liars weave narratives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
the idea of people listening to oral fables, the way the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iliad</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Odyssey</i> were originally
passed along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Work has taken me to the UP several times this summer, and I’ve
had the chance to do a few trails runs up there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One tail run was on the <a href="http://northcountrytrail.org/" target="_blank">North Country Trail</a>,
or more specifically one of the wings of the trail that goes along the Black
River (and through the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ottawa/recarea/?recid=12343" target="_blank">Ottawa National Forest</a>), and which features several
beautiful North flowing falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided
to take this 8M out and back from one of the falls as a little mini-trail
practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After reaching the beaches of Lake Superior I turned around
and made my way back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, one thing
about trail running is that it requires a lot of looking down at the trail, or
you fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, you can imagine how my
heart stopped when I looked up, so I could look down the path, and saw a black
bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I froze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It rose up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It looked down the path at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then
it turned and ran off of the path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’d say I was terrified, but it all happened so fast I didn’t
have time to be scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I
realized how huge that bear was, it had already run off back into the
woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I can say it wasn’t a near
death experience, but I can distinctly remember feeling and hearing my heart
begin to race after that moment of absolute stillness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Later, while retelling the story to the Redhead, she asked
if it was a male or female bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
informed her, I didn’t look, I was being modest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1.5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In retrospect, after my
somewhat-close-to-an-almost-near-death-situation, my favorite part is the idea
of a black bear and a blue bear quietly crossing paths in a National Forrest—perfectly
natural if you think about it.</span></div>
</div>
Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-68665457356109387752012-08-02T14:33:00.000-07:002012-08-02T14:33:31.118-07:00On Quite Roads<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve trained for enough marathons that the idea of a 23M
long run causes no serious angst about my ability to finish it. I’ve run enough
marathons that the threat of running 25M raises no concerns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there is something to be said about being
in the moment of the marathon, and digging deep to bring you into mileage you
have never covered before—or rarely cover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Being in the moment, in a race, automatically puts you into a different
place emotionally than any training run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Still, there was a time when training for your first longer
distance race, that you silently crossed a distance you have never covered
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time you hit 10M, or
15M, or 20M, is noted—at most—by a beep from your Garmin or perhaps a simple
‘Whoot.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The motorists which may happen
to be around remain ignorant of your personal achievement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Best of all, these moments carry with them an
emotional weight that lingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
become monuments which are forever erected FN1 as testimony of your ability;
places you can mentally return to and draw strength from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I prepare and train for my 100M race, I have this
reoccurring thought: “Do people who have never run a marathon and who just
easily finish a 5M run think running a marathon will be no problem?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because when I ran a 22M long run and I had
that exact thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later I got a lesson
on the trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two contrasting runs
stood as pillars between which I needed to navigate my first ever
longer-than-a-marathon run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I’ve mentioned before, one of the things I’m most excited
about when it comes to training for an ultra is that I get to eat ‘real’ food
while training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something you
have to experience to fully appreciate, and I was little prepared for it
myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Loaded with several Gus and my Camelbak I headed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 11 miles, I sweatily walked into a
McDonalds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The unsettling thing wasn’t
that some people stared, it was that everyone stared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Families out to enjoy a Sunday meal
before/after church…and Spike smelling like a long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My order was simple enough, but my request
for a cup of water was apparently too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The “Team Members” were more concerned with yelling at each other about
who should get my cup of water than actually getting my cup of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever, I still incorporated eating
McDonald’s into a long run.FN2</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Deeper into my run, I went past a carwash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several weeks prior the Redhead and I were at
this same carwash, one the Redhead often frequents, and we noted a magnetic
26.2 sticker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Redhead noted that is
looked like hers and wondered if it was (we were in my car).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later that day we confirmed it was, in fact,
her missing 26.2 oval magnet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
because I’ve a loving and kind runner, I swung by and picked up her magnet,
only to continue my journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where I’ve struggle most in my initial ultra training is
dealing with the highs and lows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically,
running through the ‘lows.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in a
low from miles 16 to 20, as wave after wave of the rolling humidity kept
draining me and making every tenth of a mile linger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did whatever I could to get myself to mile
20, my next scheduled walk break. Starting my walk mile, the humidity finally
broke, the sky opened up, and I was caught in an extremely hard downpour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 21 I stopped at a gas station and
grabbed a Mt. Dew and some water to refill my pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that moment, I seriously considered
calling the Redhead and telling her to come and pick me up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’d hit the bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately, a bell then began to ring in my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You love running in the rain;” my head
reminded me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a disaster so you
might as well have fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were it not for the downpour that lasted the
next seven miles, I doubt I would have made it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By mile 26 I had run through the ‘low’ and began to approach
the ‘never before’ limit of my running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, as I rounded a corner I’ve run countless times before, my Garmin
let out a soggy beep and crossed to mile 27.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cars sloshing through large puddles thought noting of me other than:
“What is that moron doing running is crap weather like this?” But I continued,
doggedly working towards the moment when my Garmin finally hit 30M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One more monument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One more memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One more “I can”
stacked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN1: That was for you <a href="http://www.theboringrunner.com/" target="_blank">buddy</a>. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN2: McDonald’s you say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was early and the Taco
Bell next store wasn’t open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I
figured I’d ease my way into eating more adventurous foods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-12248211402586708962012-06-11T17:06:00.000-07:002012-06-11T17:06:31.965-07:00RtTDNETR<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rails to Trails Does Not Equal Trail Running</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Working title of post: ASPtJoF (Ass Stomped Plus the Joy of
Falling)</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last weekend I ventured onto the Poto Trail as recommended
by a few fellow runners.FN1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was my
first ever trail run unless you count running through my neighborhood, cutting
through backyards, running through a house, and using a trampoline to bounce
over a fence to get home before my sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Seriously, I’ve never tried anything like trail
running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My several jaunts on Rails to
Trails paths were useless as preparation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The dramatic changes in incline, the unending altering of the trail from
large rocks to partially unearthed roots to sand, the narrowness of the path,
and the poison ivy was a lot to deal with for my first trail run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it figures I insisted on doing the entire
17.5M loop my first time out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Only, I went about 18.4M. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trail is well marked—sorta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure if I had gone with another runner
familiar with the trail I could have avoided my several ‘lost’ moments; minutes
standing in the middle of a three way intersection and attempting to recall the
many tracking stills I’d developed growing up in the burbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Poto Trail, while beautiful at times, can
be confusing when a cross country skiing trail cuts across your trail and there
are no signs to really indicate which way is correct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I muttered my way through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even more confusing is when you arrive at a
fork in the trail and the large tree you encounter has a large red arrow
pointing right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is that
confusing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because the large red arrow
takes you off the actual path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is
my hint, if you find yourself on the Poto Trail and you hit said fork in the
trail, ignore that particular arrow unless you want to find a parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To make things worse, I tripped several times and ‘ate dirt’
twice—hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly, by the last five
miles the best I could do was walk a quarter, run a quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was exhausted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The canopy protected me from baking in the
high 80s sun, but the warm temps combined with my 10M run in 85+ degree temps
the evening before made this even more daunting than I ever imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times there was no recourse but to walk
parts because running was too dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anybody willing to ride that trail—and several bikers passed me—is
insane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was half expecting to run into Jareth the Goblin King and
half expecting I’d found myself in Escher’s Ascending Staircase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I emerged I let out a triumphant but
minimally audible “yeah!”FN2</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Things I learned: Trail running has nothing to do with road
running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are about as related as
people are to gibbons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any attempt to
trace some form of common ancestry between the two is blasphemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are dangers in the woods equal to that
of red hooded little girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never run a
difficult and unfamiliar trail alone; or at least don’t make a practice out of
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My cell phone works while in the
woods but if you call me I may not be my usual pleasant self.FN3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And finally, ordering a pizza and asking it
be delivered to you at post number 11 on the Poto Trail is about as useless as
calling the local Domino’s pizza in Muskegon and asking them to deliver a pizza
to your 100 foot sailboat heading north to Ludington simply because you are on
the night watch and bored and surprised you are getting service out on Lake
Michigan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN1: Thanks <a href="http://instephsshoes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In Steph’s Shoes</a> (I think) and congrats to Steph
and her family for adding a new future long distance runner to the clan.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN2: Purposely left uncapitalized for effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">FN3: Sorry my love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-31015149605272736182012-06-05T07:20:00.002-07:002012-06-05T07:20:24.158-07:00At Some Point You Have to Run, Not Read<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the past six weeks I’ve done a ton of reading about ultras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a lot of stuff out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some information was extremely helpful, some
good, most of it resembling general runner’s common sense, and a healthy dose
of crap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s focus on the crap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--1051-0,00.html" target="_blank">10% rule</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has to be the dumbest rule for running
ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never once heard my track
coaches say don’t increase your mileage by more than 10%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In stark contradiction, we would
often jump more than 40% and the team did not suffer a rash of injuries
or tired legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, we had very few
injuries or tired legs as a team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
this simply because we were young?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does
the 10%R not apply to high school runners? Or just high school runners who have not heard of the 10%R? </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve always ignored this stupid rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll continue to do so as I train for my ultra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Point and case: two weeks ago I ran 21 total
miles (a low mileage week comprised of a 3M run, two 4M runs, and a 10M
run).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week I ran 44 total miles (a
10M run, a 12M run, and a 22M run).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not a freak of nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m not those rare injury free runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve been injured before, but it sure wasn’t because I callously disregarded
the 10%R.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think runners are best suited
to determine how much their body is comfortable adjusting up their
mileage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if you feel comfortable enough to
increase your mileage by 100% then do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, to the running stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All of my runs last week were on RtoT trails (nice and kind crushed
limestone).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of particular beauty is the <a href="http://trailscouncil.org/index.php?page=north-eastern-state-trail" target="_blank">NEST</a>, a 71M trail that I was only able to run a small part of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you ever get a chance I strongly suggest
you run this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Strangly, a</span>s I begun to slow my runs
down—aiming for an 8:30/M to 9:00/M pace—I’ve developed this awful habit of
rocking my right hand. What is up with that? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps the best thing I’ve read from all the ultra info is
this: “You are an experiment of one.”<span style="color: lime;">FN1</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That said, my first major long run of my ultra training was a 20M to 22M
run on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakelands_Trail_State_Park" target="_blank">Lakelands trail</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the
first time I incorporated the following things into a long run (or ever): wore
recovery socks (like <a href="http://www.shalaneflanagan.com/" target="_blank">this</a> excellent runner); carried a phone, carried toilet
paper, and wore a Camelbak (first time ever).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, Sunday was the first time I ever attempted a long run where the
weather was in the high 70s to begin the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My approach was to incorporate at least one walk per 10
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to take two to three walk
breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting a long run at 5pm and
heading directly west into the sun was not easy, but I need practice doing runs
where I’m uncomfortable to begin with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At mile 4 I had to stop in order to figure out exactly how to use the
Camelbak, and then to retrieve my Yurbud which fell off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile nine I slowed to a comfortable walk
and emptied my shoes of the plethora of little rocks which had joined me for my
run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I resumed my run at mile 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 15 I was feeling pretty tired, so I
allowed myself a mile walk break at mile 16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then another at mile 20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My walk times
were 16min, 17min, and 17min.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost
every mile I ran was in the 8:20 to 8:35 range except for my first two miles
and mile 13; all run at an 8 flat pace <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">±</span>3 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s the good news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bad news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still running
too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m struggling to slow things
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I'm rocking my hand. </span>I never felt it, but got a huge blood
blister on my right big toe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran out
of water during my last walking mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
failed to bring any salt tablets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Experiment of one. </span>I love
making mistakes—so long as I learn from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And I’m excited about getting back out there and on a more challenging
<a href="http://www.michigantrails.us/michigan-trail-maps/Pinckney_BikingHiking_trails.pdf" target="_blank">trail</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lastly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wobble back
and forth as to how difficult this will be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes I am overrun with the attitude of: “Eh, it is only one mile
more than double digit miles.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At other
times I laugh and think: “How are you going to run 80 more miles?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">FN1</span>: I’d credit this but I forgot where I got it, and I’m not
really willing to reread all of that awful crap to let you know exactly where I
found this nugget of wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deal with
it.</span></div>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-74950403609505681892012-05-22T19:31:00.000-07:002012-05-22T19:47:07.557-07:00The Next Big Thing<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>100M</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It’s stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
absurd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last year I toyed around with the idea of doing a <a href="http://www.runwoodstock.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=29" target="_blank">100M</a> race
after Boston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But a nagging injury lead
to my anit-<a href="http://feetmeetstreet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nitmos</a> S.o.S. (Summer of Sloth) training program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, this was the only ‘training’ program
I’ve ever executed perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A training
program that was so successful I carried it over into my fall and early winter
training schedules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And if he can reuse the S.o.S. theme, I can repurpose it
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, I’m proud to announce my
Summer of Stupid Slow, or S.o.S.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This fall, before the <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Redhead</a> and I tie the laces (go there now to check out some of our engagement photos if you so wish), I’m going
to attempt to run 100 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, you
may be wondering, why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all harkens
back to when I was in middle school and my friend Drew’s father used to tell us
stories about how he and a few of his friends would do a 100 mile race when they
were in their younger years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d talk about
how they would run and race against horses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As relative studs on our middle school team, we were pretty sure nobody
has ever run further than two miles, yet alone 100.<span style="color: #a64d79;">FN1</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the story never left me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only after college did I discover that such
races do in fact exist.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sure, lots of people have told me
I should attempt a shorter ultra distance before I do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even internet experts and ultra-marathon
professionals make this recommendation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
scoff at you all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just excited about
the idea of running to the Taco Bell one town over and ordering some tacos to
go, then eating them on the walk part of my run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m interested to find out if any of the
fancy camel packs out there contain two bladders so I can fill one with water
and one with Mt. Dew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m excited about
running at night and suffering from exercise induced flashbacks where I recall
my time in Texas as an outlaw simply because I was trying to get justice for my
brother’s ruined scooter.<span style="color: #a64d79;">FN2</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m eager
for the moment when I see the sun rise after running for several hours through
the night and I begin to cry…only to end up in a blubbering heap mumbling<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“double rainbow!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One day I hope to tell my son and/or daughter and their
annoying friends how I ran 100 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
know they won’t believe me, mostly because I plan on lying to my children from
the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Including telling them
their mother is an evil alien robot that is going to harm them when they
sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t the fun of having kids to battle with
your spouse for the hearts and minds of those little DNA half-copies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’ll be doing some shorter races this year as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the real goal is to slow it down and go
long. (TWSS)<span style="color: #a64d79;">FN3</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">FN1: Yes, in one of four middle schools in one of
fifteen-ish towns in one county in one state, I would consider myself a
relative track stud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">FN2: What, is my Legend of Billie Jean to vague of a
reference, should I have gone with a Balls of Fury reference instead?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">FN3: That is for you <a href="http://www.theboringrunner.com/" target="_blank">Adam</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-80301506965330614792012-05-17T18:53:00.000-07:002012-05-17T19:17:38.358-07:00The Old Kent (Old Gregg) (Fifth Third) River Bank Run*<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have to say, I love me a 25K.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The distance is legitimate: longer than a
half, shorter than a marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
<a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Redhead</a> and I headed out to <a href="http://www.53riverbankrun.com/" target="_blank">Grand Rapids</a> to hang with<a href="http://www.ironmanbythirty.com/" target="_blank"> Kevin</a> and <a href="http://www.jekmn.com/wordpress/" target="_blank">Jennie</a> before
the big race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had only run this race
once previously, running with my awesome sister Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That year the weather was terrible, including
so much rain the course was altered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately for us, the weather, like the Dude,
abided.**<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cloudy and warm, Kevin and I
had a simple goal of getting into (or for Kevin, maintaining his status in) the
2 Hour Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 2HC gets you a few nice
perks including preferred seating, a different color bib, 2HC only gear check
and restrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The huge ego I’d get from
making it in the 2HC would be solely provided by me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Or plan was to sit on the 7min pacers for as long as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, considering that, since the Lansing
Marathon I’ve run exactly three times, this was a reasonable goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, I think racing a 5K, pacing a few
wonderful people in a sub 2 hour half marathon, and a 4M run with the Redhead
is adequate practice to make the 2HC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unfortunately, I lost Kevin early in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to make a slight wardrobe adjustment at
the start, and never really caught up to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was pretty sure I had him in sight, but when I thought I had caught
up, it wasn’t him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong tall white guy
in a blue shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, the crowd
support was great and I hung with the 7min pacers for the first half of the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I eased it back a bit and
enjoyed the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have to say, for the price, this 25K is way better than a
half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cheaper, longer, extremely well
organized, pace groups, and lots of quality runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, for the next big thing…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">* Yep, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIInySnQe4I" target="_blank">this again</a>.***<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">** As part of my movie education of the Redhead, I made her
watch this wonderful movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">*** I don't get it, how in the eff did
<a href="http://feetmeetstreet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nitmos</a> get all the credit in the word for using asterisks; like he invented
them or something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I'd use footnotes if Blogger would let me. </span></span></span></span></div>
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</div>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-85720715503908497662012-05-01T19:40:00.000-07:002012-05-01T20:08:34.008-07:00Because I Don’t Own a Pair of Pink Shorts<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Sunday I wore yellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I repeated my mantra of ‘fast’ as much as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I needed to be. After the <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Redhead’s </a>second consecutive 5K win*
I had to earn a metal or risk blowing the ‘perfect AG or better’ month we were
having.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this is no easy task given
that I had run a marathon the week before (and not run since then) and because
this is the Race for the Cure baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Playmaker’s Race Series, this is one of the biggest races and draws in the
fasties from all over the greater Lansing area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
A quick aside; this race, like a few others in the Playmaker’s Series, is an
afternoon start—specifically a 2pm start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hate afternoon starts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like
to race early (say 8am) or later (around 7pm), but the hours between 10am and
4pm I hate.**<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After sleeping in, the Redhead and I headed to the L.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grabbed my bib and started to stretch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had changed the course since I last ran
it, and the new route is a bit if a winding mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though the Redhead ran her 5K the day
before in freezing cold and received her award, I had a perfectly sunny day and
high 50s weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes Michigan!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I haven’t raced a 5K since 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Since then I’ve run several 5Ks, but I haven’t targeted one as a ‘race’
effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have either been 5Ks run at
a slower pace with friends or family, or have been run the day after a 20 mile
long run (see Corktown or Super Bowl).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, I was nervous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had seriously
forgotten how to race a 5K, only I didn’t figure that out until somewhere
around mile 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22qpZEwVG9WrQEIkfqAfo2c1E6j_AxioCxM_oDR1Z6-TGWINJ95s6M-qS201sQ6CRqNYCcdbU_9SySlKY-6gqIyB84Exv8_ST-oM7VzCSEu_UzjGVbk_mJ5tR8BWCz_oIGhguYEy4xIg/s1600/Photo2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22qpZEwVG9WrQEIkfqAfo2c1E6j_AxioCxM_oDR1Z6-TGWINJ95s6M-qS201sQ6CRqNYCcdbU_9SySlKY-6gqIyB84Exv8_ST-oM7VzCSEu_UzjGVbk_mJ5tR8BWCz_oIGhguYEy4xIg/s320/Photo2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I crowded over to the starting line and thought…don’t kill
yourself the first mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I killed myself
the first mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That created two problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, a crash reminiscent of a four year old
crashing after finding and devouring a package of Fun Dip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, the toll of the marathon a week after
made my legs feel like jelly.***<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
know you are having a bad race when, in your head, you begin to tell yourself
how bad your race is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, I
didn’t hit the next step of bad race day, which is when you actually begin to construct
your post describing how bad your race was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the second mile five people passed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the third mile I was only able to pass
two back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My final time was smidge under
19.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not bad, but not great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I managed a top twenty-five overall
finish and, most importantly, snagged an AG to keep our precious household
streak of race bling alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now, a few final notes about the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> First, thank you all for your kind comments on my race recap. </span>For the first time ever, I had a palindrome for
a bib number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, winds be dammed, I
knew I was in for a PR that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having
read a few other race reports from other marathoner’s, it does seem that the
wind pretty much owned everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eff you
wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really like my Lansing Marathon
shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of all, I loved going out
the day before and doing some motivational chalking with <a href="http://runninglam.com/" target="_blank">Lam</a> and the
Redhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll definitely do that again
for my future marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Run thirsty my soft soft friends.)</span></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">* Yep, after winning the Lansing Marathon 5K she got
another<a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> first place</a> AG on Saturday!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">** Yes, that includes you <a href="http://www.baa.org/" target="_blank">Boston</a>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">*** So what if my 5K race recap is longer than my marathon
recap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-86982976318596349442012-04-23T09:21:00.008-07:002012-04-24T17:40:18.393-07:00Windstrong, Windtastic, Windderful: The Lansing Marathon Race Recap<div>
The weather was beautiful. Mid 30s. But the wind was noticeable early. The <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/">Redhead</a> was there to cheer <a href="http://runninglam.com/">Lam</a> and I as we were preparing to run the inaugural <a href="http://www.lansingmarathon.com/">Lansing Marathon</a>. Before the race we heard several speakers expound positively about “Lansing’s first ever inaugural marathon.” *And somewhere deep in the Department of Redundancy Department buzzers were flashing wildly.* <br />
<br />
Soon the race began and we were off. I, as expected, pretty much blew my race strategy early by going 6:40 for mile 4, and then backing way off with a 7:21 for mile 5. At mile ten I wanted to be 1:10:50. I was 1:11:10. And I was happy with that considering over 6 of the first ten miles were into a wind that was steadily gaining momentum. From there on out, I didn’t look at my watch again. I was running on feel and I was feeling good.<br />
<br />
Between miles 16-20 the runners headed directly into an even stronger headwind as we ran through the MSU farms. And this part of the race really wiped me out. Several times I was actually blown back or off to the side during this stretch. I could tell I was working hard keep my pace. By the time I got to mile 22, I knew the extra energy expended during those several miles into the wind (reaching over 20mph) were starting to take their toll. The last four miles felt rough. I held on pretty well, but I could tell I was slowing down.<br />
<br />
Still, I never stopped and felt I pretty sure I was on pace for a PR. So…how did I do? First, one quick caveat; there are some good things about getting older. Like…your BQ qualification time jumps 5 minutes. Or stays where it was a year ago. And so, I’m happy to say I accomplished two of my three goals, I got a PR and a BQ. A 3:08:xx. I was a little shy of my ‘sneak in under 3:05’ goal. After the race I checked my watch and saw I was on pace through 22 miles, but the last four, including several parts into an even stronger wind plus some natural fatigue were too much to maintain that sub 3:05:00 goal. Who cares, I’m still very very excited.<br />
<br />
A few last things. On Saturday, after the expo, Lam, the Redhead, and I did a little motivational chalking on the course. You can check out some of our witty remarks. We even left little love notes just in case <a href="http://feetmeetstreet.blogspot.com/">this guy</a> decided to cheer on his fellow runners.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734636124991304066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FqLbcd_1OGEH9BJGl6DxPwlv7Awf1ZgrCe_syrKLVj9SKBeIWI93tcZQ4uIiB6tW5Y55O50xa0-yHCzcDhkE_45NoChC3_FD9ei_ngMpmQxiGC2wrBuvmfS_jzgFgp79DGNOBA7mGFI/s400/AA.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 299px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734635392867803426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0txSys_LgqWzbvaxMhxtH0GJOE5K_FHJqugRCNdGWGOhClQcnIZ3X0xQCZzPIJWzYxes5V9es9jAKnnQlvP9EINZ1Sg7XE6UunbWJa_jfW0KLE2o_4q-LNEtOInFLMR-kKO727iLBMA/s400/AB.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 299px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">(Lam doing a little motivating)</span></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734634788959288290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUG7C2m29gsGB85Sfr70sNaHU7a7TQvUQHUw3ypma6tqC6H9sl_QzpVinVJBTuVAfyaRfL2xPl-kPksqlQnK_VXkhR0QIpFdszy7HCIE2vc5N-OGsCRdNssb4Z2UVqu8aN-Jxip1BCoA/s400/AC.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 299px;" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">(You get what you vote for)</span><br />
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On race day I was very grateful to see several friends cheering me on…including the legendary Nitmos. My sister Gunior and the Redhead were right at mile 26 to give me some final inspiration—which was extremely needed. Check out these awesome signs. Also, a special thanks goes out to <a href="http://neophytetridurun.blogspot.com/">Neophyte</a> who ran the half and was there to help stabilize me after the race.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYch8N0kBTdj-FGnHcsR0WGew80SrSrud-iJ-ntCHG9UEWyXdhgjSFDrX5ckpcwos6Dq25M9PWtRFyQBkN-bHyeC6Q_fuJy9J2RuIke0PQQu043uxfdk9MAswh1kGmJI6SIhvNsvbaRls/s1600/Gr+-+Red+Signs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYch8N0kBTdj-FGnHcsR0WGew80SrSrud-iJ-ntCHG9UEWyXdhgjSFDrX5ckpcwos6Dq25M9PWtRFyQBkN-bHyeC6Q_fuJy9J2RuIke0PQQu043uxfdk9MAswh1kGmJI6SIhvNsvbaRls/s320/Gr+-+Red+Signs.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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It was also a good day for the <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/">Redhead </a>who not only got a PR but was the first female finisher in the 5K! Check out her amazing story.<br />
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I was sad to discover that Lam was unable to overcome his foot injury suffered a few days before his travels out here. He made the difficult but smart decision to DNF after courageously toeing the line and setting a great pace. Having had to make a similar decision myself before, I understand how he feels. I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with Lam. He shares a similar outlook on approaches and perspectives to running, and I’m am hopeful he will get his foot better soon and return to Michigan to visit us again!<br />
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My left foot has four blisters, one of which is rather large, while my right foot has one huge blister—not to mention a few other running related minimal but somewhat uncomfortable ailments. I used socks I had worn several times before and the same shoes I had used on all of my long runs. Still, by mile 15 I just had to admit to myself that I was going to be the proud owner of some painful blisters after the race. Later Sunday I was reflecting upon the sensation of running and knowing you are forming blisters. I think it goes something like this: Foot uncomfortable. Forget about it for a bit. Foot hurts and you are positive you have blisters. Forget about it. Pain returns and you wonder how you amazingly forget about it just a few moments ago. Forget about it once more. Pain back again and resumption of wondering how you ever managed to forget about it. Repeat until race is finished. Oh the joy of running. </div>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-42650403717429871812012-04-17T12:46:00.009-07:002012-04-17T13:56:56.873-07:00The Taper PostI don’t typically share my race goals. Oh well, here they are. Based on a very select few quality long runs and tempo runs, I’m going to try and BQ and PR my previous marathon best of 3:09:xx. I’m mostly prepared to do this. But who knows. All I can say for certain is that I’m very excited about this race. <br /><br />My race strategy goes like this. Run the first three miles at 7:00 ±3 seconds. Run the next three miles at 7:10 ±3 seconds. I then plan on running two of the next four miles the same way, two at 7:00 ±3sec and two at 7:10 ±3 seconds. This should put me at about 50 seconds above a BQ pace at 10M. <br /><br />I’ve never intentionally run a marathon slower in the first half. Typically I try to build as much ‘bank’ time as possible and, like a teenage boy about to get shanked before a gym class full of coeds, I hold on for dear life. <br /><br />But, all of my training on the third ‘official’ Lansing Marathon course has been between miles 6 and 22 or more. Also, I’ve been doing my long runs with a slow first few miles and then a 14M to 16M tempo run at pace goal. This has worked a few times. This has not worked a few times. But I’m going to try it. <br /><br />At plus 50 seconds at the 10M mark, I’m going to try and average 7:00 per mile for the rest of the race—knowing that with some parts of the course I’ll be ±7 seconds per mile. This, of course, means two important things: 1) I’m going to attempt to pull off a slight negative split; 2) if I run perfect I’ll still be down a few seconds for a BQ. But I’ll let that figure itself out during the last 16M. <br /><br />Now, for full disclosure, a few last things. I attempted to replicate this race approach with my 10M long run last weekend. Total FAIL. Seems trying to catch and pass the Redhead in the first mile coupled with running in the hot (but thankfully cloudy) Florida weather made this a total shit-show. Not the best of news considering my easy 4M run the day before under the angry FL sun was also a poop-performance. As of this morning, I cannot confirm the course is certified. For your own amusement, go look on their facebook page and see how many times people have asked that question and how it has not yet been answered. <br /> <br />Finally, I’m going to start a new marathon tradition. I’ve always loved seeing when someone has written something in chalk on the course. So, I’ll take a poll and ask you two questions. <br /><br /><br /><h2 class='title'>What Should I Write?</h2><br /><iframe allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='300' name='poll-widget9098046931920199636' src='http://www.google.com/reviews/polls/display/9098046931920199636/blogger_template/run_app?txtclr=%23555555&lnkclr=%232BA94F&chrtclr=%232BA94F&font=normal+normal+100%25+Georgia,+Times,+serif&hideq=true&purl=http://runningspike.blogspot.com/' style='border:none; width:275;'></iframe><br /><br /><br /><h2 class='title'>Around Where Should I Write It?</h2><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='180' name='poll-widget-2613408283964406617' src='http://www.google.com/reviews/polls/display/-2613408283964406617/blogger_template/run_app?txtclr=%23555555&lnkclr=%232BA94F&chrtclr=%232BA94F&font=normal+normal+100%25+Georgia,+Times,+serif&hideq=true&purl=http://runningspike.blogspot.com/' style='border:none; width:275;'></iframe>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-44095045021467245372012-04-09T18:11:00.000-07:002012-04-09T18:12:46.409-07:00A New Race StrategyI struggle with racing. I’ve mentioned before how my two track coaches were hugely influential in my life. Both were Olympic caliber runners who were best friends since their time running together in college. They were also what you would call ‘old school’ (read: willing to verbally humiliate you and yell at you when you screwed up) and both were tremendously supportive and encouraging to the team as a whole and on an individual basis. <br /><br />One of my favorite things a coach would say to me was “You’re too stupid to know you aren’t that fast.” My coach described me as a bulldog, I would just grab hold of the lead pack and hang on until I could try to outkick the pack in the last 200 meters. This was tremendously successful in races of middle distance, like the mile and the half, or during a 4x400 relay or 4x800 relay. (Note: I would be dishonest if I didn’t admit that, some runners were/are so much faster than I am that I could never really latch on and run with them. Those runners were gone before I knew it.) <br /><br />While I this was a successful practice to use when qualifying for the state meet or winning a medal at a prominent relay meet, this approach has caused me problems in the longer distance races. I’ve been able to, with some success, utilize this approach in the 5K. It is in the marathon where I have mixed results. If there is a pace group, it works. If there is no pace group, like Boston, it just doesn’t seem to work. Sure, other factors such as fitness and weather conditions will play a role; but it seems to me that, during the first half of every marathon I’ve ever run, I’ve dropped one to three ridiculously fast miles—fast being compared to my desired pace—as I’ve tried to chase down some particular runner. My ego says: “Not going to let that guy beat me to mile 6 or the marathon, or let that girl get to mile 8 before me.” <br /><br />Win the battle, lose the war. <br /><br />Sadly, this approach will apply—almost always—even when I’m running alone. Why? Easy, the watch and my expectations are enough to give me that attack and grind attitude. Last split was +15 seconds, next mile must be -15 seconds. Two things here: 1) intellectually I know it would be better to make up those added seconds over the course of four or five miles; 2) if I think ‘Go 30 seconds faster” (-15 to get to the desired pace and -15 to get even with the overall pace) I’ll almost always go 45 seconds faster. This results in tremendous swings in miles when the terrain doesn’t necessitate it. <br /><br />So, this training session I’ve been trying something a little different. I’ve intentionally slowed down the first few miles of my long runs (1-3 miles for runs under 15M, 3-5 for 16-21 mile runs). Then I’ll pick up my runs to my desired pace for the remainder. Typically, I just try to run the entire long run at the desired pace. This sometimes results in going bonk at the end of a run. When I’ve followed my new strategy right I still end up averaging my overall goal pace. When I don’t I seem to drop a few killer miles in the first part of the run (splits about 15 to 30 seconds faster than desired pace) and then crash and burn at the end of the run. <br /><br />There are no pacers for the Lansing Marathon. <br /><br />So, the question is, can I let go of my ‘attack attack attack’ mentality for the longer races and find a more holistic and even approach?Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-48000347555599831722012-04-04T06:47:00.001-07:002012-04-04T06:49:45.825-07:00The New(est) Lansing Marathon Course DescriptionThe best way to describe the original route would be the ‘Cedar Street Route’ as 8 of the 26.2 miles were run on Cedar Street. The second course would be the ‘Delphi Route’ as the route went south on Aurelius Rd and then north on Pennsylvania to create a loop through much of Delphi Township. The newest route is best described as the <a href="http://www.lansingmarathon.com/Participants/InteractiveMap.aspx">‘MSU Farms’ Route</a>. This route spends significant time alongside or through the agriculture parts of the college (it was once called Michigan Agriculture College). Approximately 11 of the 26.2 are fielded miles. With the new course runners will be passing MSU’s beloved sheep farm. A place of particular horrors for me…as I learned the hard way never to run past that place in the spring without my shirt on. Oh the clippers, the clippers. <br /><br />As <a href="http://feetmeetstreet.blogspot.com/">Nitmos</a> pointed out, I should be glad; I’ve been running these fields for years (both in undergrad and law school). The second route provided little in regards to shade, but long stretches of College Road produce good shade on the road (especially in the morning). Most of those parts have been removed. With the new course, there will be nowhere to hide from miles 15 to 21. And then not much after that. Also, the wonderful downhill you used to get after old mile 10 now become a .65M incline between mile 17 and 18. While this hill is not steep, it is long and difficult and without shade. <br /><br />Here is the breakdown. The first six miles are the same, including the double hills going over the highway and then train tracks in mile 6. Then the course heads east along the first few farm miles. This east leg contains two hills, neither steep, and both about .2M long. Then the course gets flat for about 1.5M and then turns south. Here you encounter a longer and slightly steeper hill than in the previous few miles, but this hill is followed by a left turn and a pleasant downhill. You will then hit one more .2M hill, not remarkably steep, before you have several miles of flat-ish ground (nothing visually noticeable). This part includes running on a bike/running path that is paved. <br /><br />The next noticeable hill is when the course turns left on Hagadorn and goes over the highway. Importantly, the 13.1M mark is in an industrial park with maybe three buildings (Atrium Dr.). So, don’t expect anybody there to reward you with being halfway done by cheering for you. From there, you have 4 miles of gently rolling hills before you hit the large hill in mile 18. Also included in this part is a very short but somewhat steep uphill as the runners head west on Willoughby and right before you go under the highway. I’ve already described the long difficult hill in mile 18. <br /><br />After that, you run through more fields with no meaningful up/downhill. When the course heads south again on Aurelius, you will notice a smallish hill, and another after you turn west on Mt. Hope. From there, about mile 22, there are only four hills left. One as you run under a bridge just north of Potter Park Zoo (not much), a short but difficult one on Walsh, one heading north on South Washington, and one as you run on East Hillsdale Street during mile 26. I recommend you sell out up this hill. It is the last hill. When you turn the corner you still have some distance before you complete the race, but by then you should be able to see the finish and ride your momentum in.Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-46070218243033092392012-04-01T17:00:00.000-07:002012-04-01T17:00:04.886-07:00Los Submarinos 5K Race ReportToday was the sixth greatest day of my life, today I ran for <a href="http://www.a2a3.org/">Twinkies</a>.<br /><br />While I’ve been playing up my <a href="http://runningspike.blogspot.com/2012/03/race-matters.html">frustration at the Lansing Marathon</a>, my actual A-race of the season was this afternoon’s Ann Arbor Twinkie Run for ALS. I had prepared for this monumental race the way one would expect; I ran my 16 mile long run that morning followed by a hearty breakfast at Panera; after which I showered, put on a new set of running clothes, and headed to A2 to meet Racer there. As I entered the staging area I bellowed, “Where are you, you spongy, yellow, delicious bastards?!” ala <a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0149471/quotes">Tallahassee</a>. And then I saw it; the table filled with trays upon trays of those luscious crème filled “Los Submarinos.”<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726579176327217378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjEGykX2lmlQv9jYw8qoodjGL_thN87xzwaCfAm-w-NW5IUIgtFT8XmiBCSNROC_rotL0gXvgBVcpqv31PYPUYwhBWm926aplwkT3vPPgVCTPjfgvQNYoRaDAeiH0RpxfEgUvrYsNepg/s400/Twinkies.jpg" /><br /><br />We were instructed to grab one and head to the start area; just as I was about to bite in to that little spongy brick of heaven a fellow runner warned that eating it before the race would cost me penalty of one minute. It was at that moment I aspired to become the first person in race history to finish with a negative race time via Twinkie consumption. Racer talked me out of this as we had planned to run the race together, but I now have a mission for next year.<br /><br />It took me just over a half mile to eat the first twinkie as I tried to encourage my fellow runners by reminding them that this race was good preparation for the <a href="http://www.krispykremechallenge.com/">Krispy Kreme Challenge</a>. Unfortunately discomfort was already high as was apparent in the lackluster response. Redhead would go on to utter, “You’re disgusting,” no less than thirty-six times over the course of the race.<br /><br />As we reached the half-way point we were awarded our second twinkie; Racer passed on it, but I graciously accepted by shoving as much of it in my mouth as I could. My strategy was to pack my cheeks like a squirrel and hope it would melt without much effort. Minutes later I had the unfortunate experience of snotrocketing crème just as Racer ill-timed the question of what I wanted to do for dinner after the race.<br /><br />We finished the race and were awarded a golden twinkie shaped medal, complete with three crème holes on the back. I searched the crowd for Twinkie the Kid to pick up my lifetime supply of Twinkies for my appearance fee, as discussed in my <a href="http://runningspike.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-year-new-adventure-new-race-and-new.html">nonofficial sponsorship</a> contract, but the race officials claimed to have no knowledge of this information. Weird.*<br /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p><br />*Happy April Fool’s Day! This post was authored by the Redhead, but rest assure Spike did in fact happily consume multiple Twinkies at the race this afternoon.</p>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-46390546917358787852012-03-28T16:13:00.006-07:002012-03-28T16:28:28.523-07:00A Clown with Mint Shakes and the U.P.<div><br />On Saturday I volunteered at the Ronald McDonald Run for the House. After having a previous <a href="http://runningspike.blogspot.com/2010/04/race-recap-before-boston.html">run-in</a> with the Clown,* I decided a good deed might fix our broken relationship. So I grabbed the megaphone and assisted at the Mile 4 water station. Or, as the residents and runners were informed: “The only non-prime number water station on either the 5K or 10K course!” And maybe a little “I hope you don’t suffer from Coulrophobia or you are not going to like the end of this race.” I only wish I had made a sign that said “Coulrophobia suffers begin alternate route here” and drew and arrow pointing away from the course. Obscure is the name of the game my friends.<br /><br />This week I am away from <a href="http://cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com/">the Redhead</a> as work takes me to Marquette, Michigan. So, after my less than stellar 21M long run on Sunday, where my beloved Garmin wonked out, gave me the frozen screen of death and then reset only to have 1% battery, causing me to have to use it as a plain old watch, where I then had to stop and give directions to a guy who was miles away from where he wished to be, and finally where I lost two GUs that fell out of my new Brooks Sherpa III shorts. Yep, bad long run. These things happen.<br /><br />And shortly after a quick shower I headed up to the west side of the U.P., a lovely 8 hour drive. Note, I saw an ad that said “End of the World 2M; Upper Peninsula 4M” </div><div><br /> </div><p><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 342px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725092500134320018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2bQGlif31RosH4W2JL-Pm9O8IWuRK1d0NzeMd-bcXrpRRjJe85C7HS4e5H2GGdqHWJndHGJWPDA07lPiF4EqDPwzsk5XLuE_pn0avuFBNWw0uQI3KgOx1xOONWf_6BdFbRPkyCnFIzc/s400/Mar+pict.png" /><br /></p><p>Before I left I found <a href="http://www.uprrc.org/">this</a> and contacted one of their members for some route suggestions. It is by this means that I learned of the wonderful trail they have up here along the bay. Isn’t it awesome how helpful other runners can be! Yesterday I had beautiful skies and 45 degree temps and 30MPH winds for my track workout. Notwithstanding the crazy winds, the path was unbelievably picturesque. Today I took a 4M jaunt around Presque Isle. The park itself is a 2M loop and includes a significant climb. The entire path including one loop around the Isle gives you an amazing flat 9M journey—aside from the Isle.<br /><br />*Insert your own clowns like it rough joke here</p>Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-77197957057825596922012-03-21T19:29:00.001-07:002012-03-21T19:31:54.676-07:00A Roll of the DiceWith five weeks before the Lansing Marathon, I am more nervous about this marathon than I’ve even been for any marathon. Every marathon except for Boston 10 I felt prepared with about five weeks left and was looking forward to my tapper in two weeks.* At this point in all of my previous training I had done at least two 20M long runs (typically 3), and this year I’ve only done one thus far. This time around I’m trying a two week tapper, only because starting late necessitated such a move. <br /><br />My long runs have progressed in a positive manner every week, but the distances still seem formidable. If I had finished my 16M this week and though: ‘That was good I could have kept going for a few more miles;’ I’d be less worried. Instead I found myself thinking: ‘Ten more, NFW.’ And that is why this race seems like such a roll of the dice. Or, perhaps, I have insufficient training to gauge what to expect on race day. I anticipate I’ll be able to complete the distance, but underprepared to attempt to go for a BQ. I’ll have greater familiarity with the course than I have ever had. I’ll have had fewer miles on my shoes than ever before. In my favor, I’ve had the best winter/spring training weather any Michigander could ever hope for. Yet, my training times/splits have been slower than previous training sessions—especially considering my track workouts. <br /><br />I’m improving, but I’m quickly running out of time. <br /><br />* Go ahead, say it one more time, you are only training 14 weeks. Well, in case you didn’t know, Marathon Master Hal Higdon’s <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51230/Marathon-Boston-Bound-Training-Program">Boston Bound</a> marathon training plan is only 12 weeks long so stop complaining.Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4692377326046966823.post-72161989774681870582012-03-15T19:30:00.002-07:002012-03-15T19:34:01.677-07:00Race MattersSo I went and had my little tete-a-tete with the <a href="http://www.lansingmarathon.com/">LM</a> race director. Before I had walked into the room I had already expended some time thinking about my concerns. Primarily, why does the race refuse to respond to emails, why does the route keep changing, and what assurances are there that this race is going to launch? I concluded, before I even uttered my first question, that I was unlikely to get the answers I was looking for. My expectations were accurate. <br /><br />In brief, the answers go as follows. There are approximately 600 marathon runners signed up the just under six weeks to go. They are sorry they have had to change the route, but things come up and because it is a new race they are learning as they go. They do not believe the route will change again. They are confident the race will be certified and therefore BQ eligible. They are unsure why some emails have not been answered, as it is their goal to respond to all inquires. Again and again they stressed how they were learning as they go. <br /><br />And I understand that things happen. I understand that sometimes a change must be made. I expressed that I’m not unsympathetic based on my own experience organizing races. But, I also said that what is most frustrating about all of these things is the lack of communication. If you change the course, then announce it—own it—don’t just subtly make the change and wait for people to respond. <br /><br />So, I received the answers I expected. They did apologize. They insist they are doing the best they can. I’ve already signed up for the race. I believe the term is sunk cost. At some point before my conversation my anger was replaced by the realization that I can’t stop them from changing the route and that I’m running this marathon even if it is <a href="http://www.premierraces.com/lastchance/lastchance.html">26 times around a 1 mile loop</a>. Maybe I’ll get a break this time and it will rain during the race, I’d be alright with that. In the end, it is all about the opportunity to race. <br /><br />I had, for anyone who cared, taken the time to create a hills chart of the old (really the second) marathon course. I even drove the route last Friday and recorded it with a fancy HD camcorder I borrowed. All of that is useless. In another post I’ll update the course information.Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04954768449359026865noreply@blogger.com7